


Pretty Shining People

by somebuckyoncetoldme



Category: Avengers (Comics), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Abuse, Adopted Sibling Relationship, Bucky Barnes Has PTSD, Deaf Clint Barton, Developing Relationship, Eventual Smut, Everyone Has Issues, Everyone Needs A Hug, F/F, F/M, M/M, Multi, Non-Canon Relationship, Original Female Character(s) - Freeform, Protective Bucky Barnes, Protective Original Female Character, Protective Tony Stark, Rape/Non-con Elements, Rehabilitation, Sam Wilson Is a Good Bro, Slow Burn, Soldiers, Steve Rogers Has PTSD, Strong Female Characters, Therapy, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Violence, War, bagheera - Freeform, clint loves everyone, sam wilson is a surrogate brother and he is the best
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-28
Updated: 2018-10-27
Packaged: 2019-04-29 02:37:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 26,927
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14463174
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/somebuckyoncetoldme/pseuds/somebuckyoncetoldme
Summary: Maggie Haney has been a POW for the last 13 years, after she went missing at age 14 out of Afghanistan. When she is recovered in 2018, her legal guardian, Sam Wilson, brings her to live with him at the avengers tower. Where Maggie's been for the last 13 years is a mystery, and what Hydra did to her is just as mysterious. This is the story of everyone trying to get better, while maybe reestablishing previous relationships.





	1. Where the hell is Bismarck?

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first ever story! There's no such thing as bad criticism, send it all my way!

Tony was bored and fed up with the tower life. Between Steve asking to bring Bucky to the tower, to Bruce blowing something up or Thor messing up the landscaping, Tony was always doing something for someone. And these issues everyone brought to him were mundane, “Tony I need the jet to go to Paris” or “Tony how do I solve this trig problem?” With the bad guys all seeming to be on vacation, Tony was absolutely positively bored with all the stupid tasks he was given at the tower. Sure he got some enjoyment from watching Steve and Bucky struggle with technology, or seeing Clint sneak attack from the vents, claiming each and every time he was just trying to keep everyone occupied, but he need something more, a new project. So when Sam, god bless Sam, came to him looking for help regarding a problem that was the opposite of mundane, he was more than happy to help out.

“So how long has she been overseas?” Tony was excited, how could he not be, a new pet project, almost as big as Bucky’s integration into society had been.  
Sam was not as excited. He was downright angry, angry at the government for letting Maggie go overseas so young, angry at the Taliban and Hydra for taking her, angry at the military for detaining her. Sam was just angry, and it showed when he spoke, “She went when she was 11. Wanted to help kids in Afghanistan, said that there were kids who had shitty lives and she could do something about it. She wasn’t even in a combatant position Tony.” Sam, who was known for being cool and collected in the toughest of situation, was the most unhinged Tony had ever seen. “She’d been coming to the base for years with her dad, always bringing her dog and her smiles. God, she was a breath of fresh air, none of us could wait to see her ya know?”

“Okay so then why is this once upon a time sweet 11-year-old being possibly detained by the U.S. government as a hostile in a military base outside of Bismarck? Do you know what’s in Bismarck? Absolutely nothing Sam, no one near by to get hurt if she escapes. Zilch. The next step is the Raft, and we both know what type of people they stick there.” Tony knew he was being a hardass, but he wasn’t about to just let anyone into the tower, regardless of their service to the country. “That is of course, if it is actually her. The reports say all DNA tests have been inconclusive. They’re going off of a scar on her upper eyebrow.”

“I told you Tony, I was her legal guarding when I turned 18. Heck I put the scar on her myself. She went overseas at 11, spent time travelling with a unit and helped with communications and education for those liberated, spent loads of times with the kids. Four years later she was supposed to come home, this was the tail end of 2007 I guess, and instead I got a fucking letter saying she was MIA and that they were terribly sorry.” Sam let out a throaty laugh, “Terribly sorry? Can you believe that? They let a fucking kid who lost both of her parents to the fucking Taliban go MIA.” Pacing along the window, Sam looked at Tony with what could only be described as remorse, “I should’ve never given them my recommendation for her. Worst mistake of my life.”  
Tony wasn’t sure how he was supposed to feel with this information overload. But he knew for sure that this kid who had been royally screwed by the country she gave everything to protect need him, and boy did he have a free calendar. “So, when do we leave to go get her?” Sam’s head snapped up from where it had been glaring out the window, “What you’re actually gunna let her come here? Tony you’ve seen her intake footage.”  
Tony had for sure seen the intake footage. He had watched in disbelief as Maggie, who couldn’t have weighed more than 100lbs, non-lethally took down all five guards stationed outside her medical room. Watched as she hobbled on what seemed to be a dislocated hip up seven flights of stairs, take out another four guards, and break her way thought the garage door, only stopped by the three tranq darts sticking out of her. “I saw the footage Sam, she looks just like Barnes did when we brought him back, scared, cornered, and acting on instinct. The report also mentioned she was sedated throughout transportation back home, so there’s a good chance she doesn’t know she’s in America. Kid probably still thinks she’s in some Taliban base in Afghanistan. You’ll need to take Barnes with you as he’s the only one we have who can speak Arabic and take Wanda in-case she needs to do some brain mumbo jumbo. Ooh also the good jet as this kid’s probably not had any luxury in her life in a while. When did she go overseas again?” Tony was rambling, excited beyond belief that he had an actual honest to god interesting assignment to work on.

“2003, Tony, when she was 11. She came back in 2004 to finish her masters in history and then went back at the end of 2004.” Sam was getting antsy, now that Tony had offered his resources he was anxious to get the team together and get Maggie.

“Okay so let me just map this out so I can give Barnes and Wanda a trip itinerary.”

“Tony really...”

“OK, OK, let me map this out so I can give Barnes and Wanda a dossier on her, let me know if I get anything wrong. Sargent Margaret Elizabeth Haney, aged 26, born April 10th, 1992” 

“Wait, wait, she was promoted to First Lieutenant after her first tour, she went into active combat and was credited with saving her unit’s ass a few times.” Sam was still angry that they had put her into a combative role, yet he couldn’t let Tony get her rank wrong. 

“Okay, lets try this again, First Lieutenant Margaret Elizabeth Haney, aged 26, born April 10th, 1992. Height and weight at time of enlistment, 5’5, 185lbs. Known spoken languages: English, Punjabi, German, Pashto, Russian, French, Spanish, Arabic, and Dutch. Enlisted at age 11, sent overseas on first tour in 2003. Returned home in 2004 and went to complete second tour near the end of 2004. Went MIA out of Mazar-I-Sharif in 2007 during a raid by the Taliban on this U.S liberated city. Legal guardian, Staff Sargent Samuel Thomas Wilson notified as MIA. Status changed to KIA in 2010 after no successful recovery of Lieutenant Haney. Shows similar genetics to a found POW in Hydra occupied facility in the town of Sharan. Sedated and brought to a U.S Army base in North Dakota as the POW showed signs of aggression and hostile behaviours towards rescue team. Injuries include: Dislocated left hip, dehydration, malnutrition, sleep deprivation, multiple head trauma, three broken fingers, dislocated left elbow, missing pinky toe on right foot, multiple laceration scars, and strong signs of PTSD.” Tony stopped and looked at Sam, pain and sympathy clear in his face, “Sam, I swear if it’s the last thing I do, we’re going to help her okay.” 

Clapping his hand on Tony’s shoulder, Sam offered him a weak smile, “I knew I could count on you Tony. I’ll take these dossiers to Bucky and Wanda and we will head out ASAP.” 

 

 

 

“Okay guys, the latest update I’ve received from Commander Ross is that she was still under heavy sedation. She’s extremely hostile and is only speaking in Pashto, the native language of Afghanistan. Barnes, I want you to come in with me, hopefully she’ll recognize me, and I’ll have you translate if she can’t use English, Maximoff, I want you there to see what’s happening in her head.” Sam was all business for the duration of the jet ride, giving orders and directions, ensuing that Barnes and Maximoff were aware of the plan down to the last second. “Mags means everything to me, and I’ve already failed her once.”

“It will be OK Sam, I’m sure that she will adjust once she realizes that she’s home, and besides, once Steve gets back from Washington, she won’t be able to resist his charm, he’ll make her feel safe.” Wanda was ever supportive. Bucky on the other hand, “What if she’s too far gone Sam? Will you be able to make the call to have her put into the Raft? Also are we all forgetting the part where it might not even be her? This could just be a false sense of hope Sam.” Maybe Tony’s assholery was rubbing off on him, but Bucky was forever a realist.  
Neither Wanda or Bucky were prepared for Sam slamming his fist onto the table. The look he gave Bucky could only be described as malice, “Listen to me, and listen to me good Barnes. If Rogers can bring your sorry ass back from seventy years of brainwashing, he can sure as hell bring Maggie back from twelve years of imprisonment. Don’t you dare say she might not come back.” Taking a breath Bucky put his hand on Sam’s shoulder, “I am sorry Sam, I really am, I just know what it does to people. But if you have faith in her, then so do I.” Shaking his hand off Sam looked out the window once more. 

“Enough with the touchy-feely stuff Barnes, were descending and we need to get ready.”

Reading the emotions in the air, Wanda couldn’t tell what was stronger, Sam’s sense of guilt, or his fear. This was going to be an interesting mission indeed.  
The base was exactly where Tony said it would be, right in the middle of nowhere North Dakota, with the closest city being Bismarck. Landing anywhere near the base was impossible, and the Bismarck Airport was less than accommodating, so the team ended up about 4 hours away, realizing that there were some things even Tony Stark couldn’t control.  
Silence filled the vehicle, Sam’s tension hung heavy in the air, and his constant fidgeting with the seatbelts in the back seat was enough to drive Bucky crazy. 

“Will you just cut it out!” Bucky snapped, spinning to face Sam from the passenger’s seat, “I get that you’re worried, but we have another three hours ahead of us, and I can’t deal with your anxiety like this.”

“But I-,” Sam was cut off instantly by his cellphone ringing, “Go for Wilson.” 

“Great I almost would rather have the anxiety than this fear,” Bucky muttered weakly from the front, narrowly avoiding Wanda’s smack. Turning to gauge what was being said on the phone, Bucky could only see confusion on Sam’s face. 

“What do you mean she stopped resisting? That’s good right?” Sam showed nothing but bewilderment. “Uh-huh, Okay. No no we are going to be there in three hours or so. What? Asking for the Asset?” That got Bucky’s attention, that and the fact that Sam was sending him death glares. Bucky took Sam’s investment in the conversation to read over the dossier one more time, he was certain there was nothing he recognized listed, no way that this girl would be asking for him. He knew, just as well as Sam and Wanda knew that Maggie had likely been involved with Hydra, so there was a chance their paths may have crossed, but to what extent? Motioning for Wanda to find the only picture they had of Maggie, he waited patiently as she dug around in her purse, precariously balancing the steering wheel with her knee and an elbow. 

“Give her whatever she wants, she really likes Queen, so maybe if she is up to it you can play that.” Sam’s face was once again contorted in anger. “Yeah I know she just took out half your men, but she did it non-lethally and may I remind you she’s a POW?” slamming the phone shut Sam exhaled heavy through his mouth, “So, things have changed just a tiny bit. Turns out Mags took a catnap and woke up confused at to where she was, and started giving her ID number and name, demanding to speak to whoever was in charge. Hopefully she can stay lucid until we get there.”

"Lucid?" Wanda was curious now, lucid wasn't a good term.

"Not sure what they meant, kept saying it would be easier to explain in person. Sounds like she's been dissociating."

“That’s a good sign Sam, that she has stopped attacking. Going into a separate head space is a coping mechanism right? I did that way too often.” Bucky was trying to be comforting, but on him it just came out all wrong, his voice was not made to be soft or caring. Studying the picture of Maggie in his hand, Bucky scanned it for any distinguishable features. Looking at a 17 year old photo was hard, especially since Maggie would have gone through puberty, and combat made a person’s features hard. She was only 9 in the photo, but her eyes seemed to pull Bucky in, dark brown, almost black, full of life and determination. Something about those eyes, Bucky was certain, seemed familiar. 

“Yeah, yeah, I know but I just real-,” Wanda cut off whatever Sam was going to say, “Listen if you boys promise not to tell Captain Do No Wrong, I can go a wee bit faster, maybe it’ll stop all this caring and sharing nonsense?” 

“Yeah fast is good.” What Bucky and Sam were not expecting was for Wanda to jump from 70mph to about 100mph in about 60 seconds. Both shared a look, questioning where and how Wanda learned to drive, and why no one had seen this side of her before.

“Come on really? Pietro and I had little entertainment back home. Stealing and racing cars was the highlight of our week,” Wanda said while letting out a laugh, amused at the fear on both boys faces, “And besides, I thought we wanted to get there faster!”

 

An interesting mission indeed.


	2. Bagheera

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter begins as soon as the team touched down in Bismarck, from Maggie's point of view. It's an interesting play on a sort of mutation that happened to Maggie, as always, let me know what you think!

Maggie was thirsty. She was always so goddamn thirsty whenever she woke up. She hated the heat, she hated Afghanistan, and she hated the caves they always put her in. Bagheera was in her head, trying to get her to look at her surroundings, but Maggie was too focused on finding water.

The room she was in was clean, white and sterile. That was the first indicator that she wasn’t at the bottom of some dug out cave waiting for her next assignment. Swinging off of the bed, Maggie let her feet touch the cool tiled floor, another sign she wasn’t were she thought she was. Nothing was ever cool in Sharan. Her next thought was that she had suffered some sort of head injury on mission, and that her and the Asset were somewhere abroad, maybe in Europe? But that did not explain the fact that Maggie was alone.

Leaning forward, Maggie took a few steps away from the bed, “[Hello? Is anyone there? I am unsure what my mission is I need assistance.]” Pashto always sounded weird coming from her own mouth. Like someone else was speaking for her. Blinding pain took over all of Maggie’s thoughts as she crashed to the ground. _Goddamnit_ , Maggie thought to herself, _my stupid fucking hip, in this stupid fucking room, is fucking dislocated_.  Gritting her teeth, she used the pillowcase to form a make shift sling and set to work on popping her hip back into place. Still tense and using her advanced hearing to track what was happening on the other side of the door, Maggie slowly pulled at the sling, easing the joint back into one another. At the sound of approaching footsteps, Maggie lost all chance to be slow and careful in resetting her hip, and gave one sharp tug, wincing at the sickening crack. Pulling herself to her feet, she slipped into a low crouch, listening to the door.

“I swear Major, the kid looks exactly like Sargent Haney did all those years ago. Same scar above her lip and everything. I think she’s ours”

English. Maggie knew something was wrong. No one spoke English except for her and the Asset, and if anyone was found speaking English they were punished. Heart rate climbing, Maggie was certain this was another one of their tricks. They had made her think that she had been liberated before, got her loaded into a plane and everything, and the second she had said thank you in English, they dragged her back down into their caves. God did she hate the caves. The caves were dark and hot, and they never let the Asset into the caves. Always by herself was Maggie in the caves. In the dark.

Taking a deep breath, Maggie began focusing her hearing. The footsteps belonged to two men, one weighing around 150lbs, the other closer to 210. The lighter one walked with a limp, the heavier one stepped heavy, putting most of his weight on his heels. At least these dumb ears come in hand sometime, Maggie thought bitterly. Bracing herself for the sense of helplessness she felt when ever she gave control to Bagheera, Maggie let out one last shaky breath, and let her subconscious slip.

Loud. Loud footsteps. Dangerous. Male. Two. The room is cold, white, slippery. Slippery is bad, slippery leads to errors. Remove footing to ensure proper grip. Bagheera is not wearing footing. Bagheera is in a dress and nothing else. Bagheera does not like this dress.

Wait

Wait 

Wait

The air. Breathe. Lift upper lip, let the scents travel through gums. Air is different. Air is not hot and not heavy and different. Different is bad. Different means no control. No control is bad. How can the girl survive if there is no control? Bagheera gives control. Bagheera gives control even with a dumb name. Girl says Bagheera is a fierce warrior, Bagheera says Bagheera is a dumb name.

Door is opening, girl is still scenting the air. Bagheera is still trying to help the girl. Bagheera must get the girl out, the girl and Bagheera are one. Out is up. Always in the caves. The girl – Maggie, Bagheera remembers is what she likes to be called, hates the caves, and Bagheera hates them too. So Bagheera will get Maggie out, and then Maggie will get Bagheera food. Maggie is always thirsty, thinks Bagheera, but Bagheera is the smart one, she is always hungry.

Snarl, launch self at guard, show teeth. Bagheera’s teeth in Maggie’s mouth. This scares the soldiers. The ones with guns who will hurt Maggie and Bagheera. Remove gun. Let Maggie take control, Bagheera can not fight with guns.

Lurching back into control Maggie pulled the AK tight to her chest, Bagheera having been silent enough to surprise both guards, and spun, sending the guard holding onto it flying. Using the butt of the rifle to jam into the second guards face, she watched him drop to the ground. Turing to the one she had tossed in the corner, she advanced slowly, using the skills Bagheera had taught her. Lifting the rifle, Maggie aimed for the man in the white coat. Lining up the shot for his chest, her eyes caught the reflection of his pin, the American Flag. American flag. Home. You know this Maggie, even Bagheera said the air smelt different. An American doctor. Maggie is confused and conflicted. She knew that neither Hydra or the Taliban could get their hands on authentic American infantry pins, heck they had made her grade replicas more times than she could count.

“Ma’am you need to calm down my name is doctor Ram-,” Maggie’s snarl cut him off, grabbing him by his coat, she pulled him down into a sitting position, straddling his hips. Fear was rolling off of him in waves, Bagheera’s senses helping Maggie understand the body language cues. “[Where is the Soldier? Where is the Asset?]” Fear was the only emotion on the man’s face. The second Maggie began speaking Pashto he became even more afraid. Reaching for his walkie talkie he managed to let out a rushed “All units third floor” before Maggie grabbed the device and destroyed it. Letting the plastic crumble from her hands, Maggie brought her hand to the mans throat. “Please ma’am, your home, you’re in Ameri-,” the lack of oxygen cut off the doctor’s air supply.

 _Think Maggie, you’re too weak to strangle two people, look for a knife or something_. Anything. God this was the worst, not only was Bagheera suddenly absent, but Maggie could feel her body weakening. A lack of nutrition combined with her extreme fatigue was destroying her.

Gripping the man’s throat with both hands, Maggie put everything she had into ending this Hydra doctor’s life. this man who was supporting the cause that had taken everything from her. He was going to suffer, even if she had never met him before. He was Hydra and Hydra will die.

Stop. Wait. Smell. Air is different Maggie. Listen to Bagheera. Bagheera will get Maggie her water and Bagheera her food. Maggie must sto-

 _Enough! Bagheera you know why I’m doing this_ , Maggie was mad. Of course, Bagheera was going to suddenly feel bad about killing people. H _e’s Hydra Bagheera. We are going to kill Hydra. We need to get out of here Bagheera I need your help to find him Bagheera. Our soldier, the Asset. He will help us._  

No. Maggie is dumb. Maggie is not listening. Bagheera say’s we are not in Hydra. Air is different. Men are different. Tongue’ are different. Bagheera will go up, and Maggie will get water.

“No! No, No, No!” Maggie began screaming in English, startling the guard she had pinned under her. “Bagheera don-,” her sentence was cut off as Bagheera forced her into her subconscious.

Warm. Man is warm. Throat. Bring hand back, push hand forward. Man hit wall, man go away like Maggie. Both men are asleep. Not dead. Too many dead, thinks Bagheera. Hydra will be more dead. But not these dead. Not these soldiers. Maggie, Maggie is mad. Maggie is clawing and kicking. Maggie wants control. Get up, slippery floors. Be careful Bagheera of the slippery floors. Up is out, out is good. Scent air. Light air not heavy air. Always down has heavy air. Where is the heavy air?

Go up, one stairs, two stairs, red stairs, blue stairs. No. No. Maggie stop. Bagheera is in control. Up the stairs. Maybe the Asset will be up the stairs. Maggie likes the Asset. Bagheera likes the Asset. No Asset smell in the up. Only the other soldiers. Not Maggie and Bagheera’s Soldier.

Hobble on leg. Leg is sore. One man down, head into wall like doctor. Maggie is loud. Maggie is screaming. Maggie want’s Bagheera to kill. Bagheera will not kill. The soldiers are different. Three men standing in a row. Like the coconuts Maggie sings about. Bagheera will stop the men, and then maybe eat coconuts. Bagheera is always hungry. Big man is coming. Drop into crouch.

Big man has stun baton. Bagheera knows the stun baton. She does not like it. No she does not. Grab big man’s wrist, pull, hear the crack. Hear the scream. Hear the radio, focus Bagheera. Bagheera pushes big man’s head down. Hear it go crack. Hear the silence. Big man is not a problem. Climb over big man, use him as a beam to push. Launch self at guard, fight like Maggie. Swing fist, snarl when he gets close. Intimidate. Bagheera is good at intimidate. Maggie is good at intimidate.

Scrap with the second soldier. Wait for opening. His head goes crack against the wall as well. Last soldier. Hand on radio. Bagheera knows radio is bad. Radio means more soldiers. More Hydra. But these soldiers, remembers Bagheera, are not Hydra. Bagheera thinks maybe they are Maggie soldiers. Maggie is still screaming at Bagheera. The soldier is still using the radio. Bagheera is thinking to long. Leap at soldier. Soldier is scared. the soldier is a boy. Bagheera know's he is a boy like the little human Maggie protects. Why is there a boy soldier. So young, Bagheera thinks. Soldier begins crying. Maggie stops screaming. Bagheera knew soldiers were not Hydra. Hydra never cried. Maggie knows this too. Think Bagheera. Think. Listen. Crying soldier. What is he saying. Listen. Maggie’s tongue. Bagheera knows this is Maggie’s tongue.

“My Ma Lord, please don’t’ make me leave my ma.” More crying from the crying soldier. Bagheera can not hear Maggie anymore. Good sign. Bagheera does her best to smile. Smile is dumb. But Maggie used to smile at the little humans to get them to stop crying. Bagheera will smile at the boy soldier to get him to stop crying. Smiling is dumb. Just like Maggie and her dumb red fish song. Soldier is still crying. Smiling does not help. Bagheera knows what will help the crying. Bagheera pushes head into wall. No more crying.

No

Wait

Wait

Wait

Bagheera hears crying. Maggie is crying. Maggie want’s her ma too. Bagheera thinks Maggie is understanding not Hydra. Bagheera knows not Hydra. Bagheera will let Maggie come back. Maggie can make the soldiers sleep now, not die. Die is bad. Death is sad. So much death thinks Bagheera. _Yeah, yeah I get it so much death and blah blah. We still don’t know where we are Bagheera._ Maggie was moving towards the next stairwell, hoping that this floor would be the ground level.

Underground. Underneath. Bagheera knows this. Maggie must know this. _Yeah I know were underground, but where? We’ve gone up two flights uninterrupted Bagheera. Not a good sign._ Reaching the sixth flight of stairs, Maggie took a deep breath, and almost screamed for joy when she smelt fresh air. The joy quickly left her face when four more men stood between her and what looked to be a garage entrance. _Well, this is just great._

Steeling herself to fight once more, Maggie threw herself at the closest guard. Having a little bit of surprise on her side, Maggie was able to wrap her legs around the man’s neck and flip him over onto his stomach. Climbing quickly onto his back she grabbed a fistful of his hair, pulled his head back, and slammed his face into the floor twice, and let his head drop. A sharp pain brought her attention to the remaining three guards. One was advancing from each side, while the third had hit her on the back with his stun baton.

“Ma’am you need to stop. We are United States soldiers. Please,” again, the soldier was cut off by Maggie launching herself at him. The jolt of his baton caused her to lose her footing, and she pulled him to the ground with her as she went. Rolling overtop of him Maggie pulled the baton from his hands, fighting through the pain of the electricity. Listen Maggie. Let Bagheera help. Footsteps close. Maggie stick baton out to the side. There is a soldier there Maggie. Listen to Bagheera.

Following Bagheera’s advice, Maggie stuck the stub baton to the left, while keeping her right hand firmly locked around the throat of the soldier who was pinned under her. Hearing a startled scream and a thump, Maggie let Bagheera listen to the heartbeat patterns to determine if the soldier was asleep.

Good Maggie. Maggie did good. Listening to Bagheera is good. Maggie used baton, soldier hit head. Good Maggie. _Thanks, Bagheera really. Now’s a perfect time for all this praise_.

The man on Maggie’s right had retreated to radio for more help, but he was circling now, trying a different approach to try and calm Maggie down. “Hey kid. I’m Staff Sargent Connors. I am with the United States Airforce.” Hands up and slowly advancing, Connors kept his voice low, and his eyes on the ground, treating Maggie like one would treat a cornered wild animal. “I’d really appreciate it if you stopped strangling Riggley. He’s kinda gotta be home for dinner cuse I promised his wife and kids.”

Maggie snorted. That got the soldier to look up. Maggie smiled, showing him Bagheera’s teeth. She let go of the soldier’s throat and watched as the one speaking to her seemed to relax a bit. “See there ya go kiddo, listen now if you can just slowly stand up, I can help you okay?” Maggie was waiting. Seeing how close he would get. They weren’t Hydra like Bagheera had said, but she couldn’t be sure they were American soldiers either. Bringing her hand to the man she had pinned under her head, Maggie let his head hit the floor once, twice, three times, before sliding off of his body and into a crouch.

Low to the ground Maggie could feel Bagheera snarling at the man standing between them and freedom. A _nd here I was thinking you wanted to be nice to them hey Bagheera? I can feel you trying to swish your tail._ Advancing on the man in front of her, Maggie could feel Bagheeras agitation.

Bagheera knows they are not Hydra. They are Maggie’s soldiers. But Maggie’s soldiers are blocking the outside. The outside means food. Bagheera is very hungry. Advancing still, Maggie was standing an arm’s length from the soldier. His posture had not changed, he hadn’t reached for his gun either. “Ma’am please, I know you’re scared, but we really are here to help you.”

 _Help. Ha_ . Maggie snarled, launching her self at him and grabbed him by his jacket collar, spinning him to the ground she was surprised to feel his legs come up and lock around her waist. She was even more surprised to feel her body being pulled with his, as he kept spinning them, turning until he was on top. Reaching to restrain her hands and trying to stop Maggie’s body from attempting to wriggle out from under his, the soldier was struggling. Sure, Maggie was extremely malnourished and dehydrated, but she was running off of Bagheera’s survival instincts and her own. Bringing her head up, Maggie bit onto whatever she could reach with her teeth and felt the hot gush of blood spray onto her face. Hearing the man’s cry of pain and shock he dropped her hands to cradle his cheek, Maggie shoved him off of her. Blood was steadily pouring down the soldier’s face, and Maggie could feel it dripping down her’s as well. Not having the time to wait, she turned for the garage door, beelining it to the big red button that read ‘EXIT’.

Bagheera was cheering in her head. Maggie was cheering in her head. They were going to be free. Maggie could smell the air getting cleaner and crisper the closer she got to the door. Free, clean air, and a big glass of water was all Maggie needed. And food of course for Bagheera. Maggie felt a pinprick of pain in her right shoulder, and another in her left. None of this mattered though, because Maggie was going to be in the outside. She just had to keep moving. The pinprick was back. Bagheera was screaming. Bagheera was telling Maggie something. _Bagheera? What? I cant hear you. Bagheera I’m so sleepy I know were almost out but Bagheera I am so tired. Please? Bagheera? Can we sleep?_

Maggie. Maggie No. Maggie stay awake. Bagheera will get the darts from Maggie’s back. The darts are bad. The darts make Maggie sleep. They make Bagheera sleep. Maggie and Bagheera, both asleep. The darts. The soldiers. Bagheera thinks. Tell the soldiers Maggie.

The tap tap tap tongue. The numbers Maggie. Bagheera shush. It is time to sleep. We can stay asleep maybe this time Bagheera. No Maggie. No sleep. Tell them the tap tap tap numbers. They might know it. _Hopefully Bagheera, we will stay asleep this time_.

Maggie? Maggie? Help says Bagheera. Where is Maggie? Maggie? Bagheera does not know the tap tap tap tongue. Maggie? Maggie? Oh, Bagheera knows. Maggie is asleep. Bagheera will sleep too.

“We got her Coronel. Yes sir it took three darts. We're transporting her up to the holding cell now.” Everett Ross was still in disbelief that this kid had taken out seven of his best men.  “Yes, sir she will be restrained. Yes, sir I will remind them about her teeth.” Ross was unsure how it happened, but this girl who was so desperate to escape, but didn’t kill a single person who stood in her way, had somehow made him feel for her. One thing he did know, was that if anyone could help her, it would be Steve and his team, regardless of the fact that she might be Sam's POW ward. 

This was going to be an interesting interrogation.


	3. Everett Ross tries his best

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everett Ross interrogates Maggie and attempts to connect with her. He meets Bagheera, and ya'll get a glimpse at what happens between Maggie and Bagheera.

Commander Everett K. Ross hated interrogations. He hated speaking to people who didn’t care who they hurt or who they were going to hurt. He really hated interrogations that involved Hydra personnel, and the ones that involved the kids they had hurt. Shuffling through the paper work on his desk, Ross was sure that he was going to hate this interrogation just as much. The paperwork was not as thick as he was hoping. Really it just listed what they had already known. Unidentified female arrived 18 hours ago during a mission in Sharan. DNA was inconclusive, likely due to experimentation at the hands of Hydra. Leafing through the pages, Ross couldn’t see anything that would identify the girl as First Lieutenant Margaret Haney, but a few of the younger CIA Agents were absolutely certain it was her. Only one way to find out I guess, and with that thought, Ross was entering the holding cell with a smile on his face.

“Hello ma’am” Bright smile Ross you can do this, “My name is Everett Ross, I am currently in charge of your case. Can you tell me your name?”

Silence.

“Do you understand English?”

_Of course we understand English right Bagheera. We just know not to speak it. Maybe he really is one of my soldiers? Maybe they did really find us?_

“Okay, that’s okay. I’m going to call for a translator. I understand you were speaking Pashto earlier. That’s an Afghan language, we don’t have anyone on site who can speak that.” Feeling nervous under the unwavering stare of the girl, Ross signaled for the translator to be brought it.

The girls eyes tracked Abby’s every movement as she made her way from the door to the chair. As Abby sat, Everett could see the girl watching, sizing Abby up like she was her next meal. Suddenly the girls hands lurched forward, straining at the chains that they were shackled in. Her hands made grabbing motions in the thin air, like she was trying to get purchase on Abby’s shirt. Abby skidded backwards in her chair, letting out an undignified “eep” as she went. Amusement showed on the girls face, a hint of a smile. Making eye contact with Everett she slowly sat back in her chair. Her posture stiff and tense, her eyes focusing on the space just between Everett and Abby.

 _They scare easily Bagheera. Not real soldiers. We can probably escape and find the Asset and go home._ Maggie. Maggie listen. Bagheera say’s use the tap tap tap tongue. Maggie tells Bagheera that only Maggies soldiers know the tap tap tap tongue. So use it. The tap tap tap tongue. Then the soldiers will bring Bagheera food. And Maggie water. And then the Asset.

Everett was trying to convince Abby to bring her chair back near the table, fear on the young woman’s face. “Everett you know I don’t have any field experience. This is worse than the field!”

“I know Abby, but looks, she’s cuffed, and I honestly think she was just trying to judge your skill set.” Everett knew Abby had every reason to be wary, but if they showed fear, and the girl wasn’t one of theirs, there could be problems. “Away you go Abby, start with German and let’s keep going from there”

“Guten tag, wie heissen Sie?” Abby was shaking, her voice was shaking as well. No where in her linguist job description did anyone say she would have to be having a conversation with the scariest person in the world. Silence. Exchanging a look with Everett, Abby tried again. Two tries for each language, was the rule for this job, the one she never thought she’d be doing. “Guten tag, wie heissen Sie?”

Maggie. Maggie this is the German one. We know this tongue. Use it Maggie Please. Bagheera needs food. Maggie needs water. We need the Asset. Maggie use tongue. Bagheera knows the rules. Failure to comply means no food. Bagheera likes food. Maggie use the German tongue. Moving her eyes and body so everything was focused on Abby, Maggie let her hands rise to the table tops. “Hallo. Ich heisse Maggie, und du? Wie heissen Sie?” Her fingers began tapping away on the desk top. Limited in their movement by the handcuffs, but still able to use the tap tap tap tongue Bagheera so desperately wanted her to try.

“Mein name is Abby. Weisst du wo du bist?” Everett was silently cheering Abby on. Abby was silently trying not to have a heart attack.

“Nein. Ich bin unsicher, wo ist das Asset.” Her eyes were flicking back and forth between Everett and Abby.

Everett had picked up on her fingers tapping out Morse code, his Morse code skills however were not very good. “Can you ask her what she is tapping. Let her know I don’t understand Morse code very well and can only make out a few numbers.” The question about the Asset would have to be addressed later. Before Abby could open her mouth to speak, Maggie cut in,

“Hydra kennt Morsecode nicht. Du bist nicht Hydra, oder?” _Bagheera, they might actually be Americans. We might actually be home._ Maggie could almost jump for joy. Maggie. Maggie thinks Bagheera. Ask for your Sam. The one with the wings. Sam the man. He has green eggs and ham Maggie. Bagheera is hungry. Please Maggie the green eggs and ham man. _Yeah, Yeah Bagheera I think I can try English hey?_

“You can understand English?” Abby was shocked. “Everett she just responded to your questions. She says that we can’t be Hydra because Hydra doesn’t use Morse.” Pulling a pencil and a notepad from his brief case, Everett sat at the ready. “Ma’am, you told Abby your name was Maggie. Would you happen to be Margaret Elizabeth Haney?” Tense and at the edge of his seat, Everett was not going to do anything to agitate Maggie as she was relatively calm. “Can you please try telling us what you were tapping in Morse code again? I’m going to use the paper to try and write it out.” Her eyes went between him and Abby a few times, before settling on the pencil in his hand. Slowly, as if she was trying to project her actions before doing them, Maggie motioned for the pencil and paper.

 _We’ll write it first okay Bagheera? Then that way they can’t punish us if this is another one of their tricks._ Good. Smart. Maggie is listening. Bagheera is listening too. Bagheera hears stomach growling. Hungry. With a shaky hand, Maggie brought the pencil to the paper, and very deliberately wrote out her social security number. Her one and only chance at proof that she was in fact an American citizen; 134 02 7836.

She wrote it again, underlined it, and slid the paper back to Everett. _Please Bagheera I hope this works._ Breathe. Maggie Breathe. Everett smells good. Good man. Will bring green eggs and ham man Sam. Bagheera is hungry. _Yeah Bagheera I think you’ve mentioned that at least fifty times._

“Is, is this.” Everett was not expecting to be looking at a United States Social Security Number. “are you? So you are American. Can you reply in English? It’ll make it easier trying to ensure we contact your next of kin.”

Everett motioned for Abby to leave the room and get someone to process the number Maggie gave them. He tried for a weak smile, still unsure at how well Maggie was holding up. “Sam Wilson has been previously contacted, as he has been running searches on all female POW’s recovered. Would you like us to notify him that you wish to see him?” Maggie wanted to reply, she really did. But the last twelve years of torture and pain were telling her that speaking English was bad. This was something Maggie had learned quickly. But here was this man, Everett Ross, who had mentioned her Sam. Her Sam was coming to get her. He had never stopped looking. She wanted to tell him yes, to bring her Sam Wilson. But if Everett did turn out to be Hydra, such betrayal would be punishable.

Choosing a happy medium, Maggie knew what she was going to ask for. A deep breathe to help calm her nerves, and Maggie opened her mouth, knowing that if she didn’t do it now, she might never, “water." As soon as  the word left her mouth Maggie felt Bagheera shrink into herself as much as she could, pulling Maggie’s shoulders down as well, trying to appear non-threatening. She placed both of her hands palms up on the table, fingers spread to show she had nothing on her and was ready for her punishment for speaking English. Maggie hung her head down low, watching Everett’s shoes move away from the table, and she braced herself. No pain came. No laughing sneers, no commands for the Asset to punish her. Just the sound of water being sloshed in a cup. Not daring to lift her head, Maggie called on Bagheera’s better senses to pinpoint where Ross was. She could hear him breathing slow and steady, his steps halted to be slower and not his normal gate. He was also trying to appear non-threatening, worry rising in him at Maggie’s very submissive posture.

“Here ya go kiddo.” He pushed the cup towards her. “I am going to uncuff you, Wilson has just landed outside of Bismarck, he should be here in three hours or so. How do you feel about getting some grub?” He tried for a smile, and a bit of a shrug, trying to appear nonchalant. “Bet you’re pretty hungry?”

Maggie had finally brought her head up, eyes rapidly flicking between Everett and the cup. Slowly, as slow as she could manage, she brought her left hand forward off of the table. As she reached for the cup she kept her eyes trained on Everett. _Bagheera it’s right there. A cup of water Bagheera. I think he is actually serious. And did you hear what he said? He was going to get us food._ Yes water. Bagheera is thirsty too. Lift lip Maggie. Smile. Use Maggie’s teeth not Bagheeras. Maggie did as Bagheera said, moving her lips to form a very slight smile. As soon as her hand closed around the cup, she pulled it back towards herself as fast as she could, twisting her body and the cup away from Everett and downed it in one go. Water spilt down her chin, down her neck, and onto her lap. As thirsty as she was, she almost enjoyed the coolness it brought to her tired and hot body.

After draining the cup Maggie gently placed it back on the table, just in time for the door to open, and Abby to walk back in, a smile on her face. “Well First Lieutenant Haney, let me be the first to say welcome home.” She passed the file she was carrying to Everett, Maggie tracking her every move. Ross’s eyes lit up with happiness, and the smile on his face made it all to easy to see how he was feeling. “Well Lieutenant, what do you say about getting something to eat?”

 

 

 

Maggie was still sitting in her chair, unhandcuffed, when the door to the holding room swung open suddenly, and a large man entered, pushing a wheelchair. Maggie was on the floor, about half a second after he stepped into the room, her back shoved into the corner, her knees tucked to her chest, and her head hanging between them. Ross was going to kill someone. He wasn’t sure who, but Ramirez, the attendee seemed like a good person to start with.

“Out, you leave that chair and you get out right now. The instructions were clear, as little contact as possible so we don’t frighten her anymore.” Ross very slowly moved his body in-front of Maggie, putting himself between her and her perceived threat. Ramirez looked around Ross to the girl huddled on the floor, sympathy in his eyes, “Yes sir, sorry sir.” And he was out the door as quick as he had entered. “Maggie? You’re safe now.” Ross was facing her now, doing his best to keep his body language non-threatening.

Maggie’s body language had shifted completely, she was still pressed into the corner, but her legs had gone limp, splayed out in front of her, and her arms were held loosely at her sides. “Lieutenant?” No recognition showed in Maggie’s eyes, just a blank stare, focusing on nothing. Moving into a stand slowly, Ross radioed for two smaller nurses, mindful to have someone who was non-threatening assist with Maggie. The three of them moved Maggie into the wheel chair and administered IV fluids and pain killers in very low dosages.

“Too much right away will shock her system sir. We have to slowly get her used to it.” Nurse O’Connolly had been chosen to oversee Maggie’s short time at the compound, due to her standing at about 4’10”, and her skills in multiple marital arts. “We need to make sure that she-,” O’Connolly was cut off by Maggie lurching forward in her chair. Grabbing O’Connolly’s arm, Maggie pulled herself to her feet, her eyes scanning the room for a threat. Maggie was exhausted, she knew she was going to have to give control to Bagheera, Bagheera was able to keep them sage on instincts alone. _Bagheera please, I can’t do this anymore I need to rest._ Bagheera would protect. Bagheera will use Maggie tongue. Bagheera hates Maggie tongue.

“Maggie.” Bagheera hated it. Stupid tongue. Stupid man in suit. Maggie liked man. Man promised food, Bagheera would be nice to man.

“Pardon?” Ross couldn’t explain the change in Maggie’s behaviour. She had gone from comatose, to alert, back to comatose, and now this. “Maggie what’s the matter?” Ross wached O’Connolly try removing her forearm from Maggie’s grasp, only to be met with resistance. A low growl sounded from Maggie’s chest, and her lips curled up to reveal inhuman teeth. Long and pointed like a cat’s, Maggie kept her teeth on full display, her mouth moving as if trying to form words.

“Maggie dear,” O’Connolly was quiet, her voice low and even, “Maggie you’re hurting me.” The rumble continuing, Maggie’s eyes came up to meet O’Connolly’s looking for something. Her lip lowered, and her grip tightened, but her lips kept trying to move. Bagheera knows theses words. Bagheera knows. Maggie needs help. Sleep. Bagheera will keep Maggie safe.

“Maggie…. Maggie…..” Bagheera knew her words weren’t the same as Maggie’s, but it was hard. Try one Bagheera knows. A good word. “Food. Maggie Food.” Bagheera knew food. Ross was confused. Maggie’s English was fragmented while talking to Abby, fear was clear on her face anytime she used English. But this, this was broken in a way Ross hadn’t seen before.

“Maggie, can you please let go of Nurse O’Connolly?” Her wrist was bruising where Maggie was gripping it, but with the rumble still coming from her chest, no one had moved to remove it.

No. Maggie gone. Bagheera only. Stupid suit man. Suit man had no food. Suit man brought two others. More people mean less control. Bagheera liked control. The Asset liked control. Control is good. “Maggie…Maggie gone. Bagheera.” Bagheera brings control. She will tell the suit man.

“What do you mean Maggie gone. What is Bagheera?” Ross was even more confused than he was five minutes ago, and O’Connolly was still in a death grip.

“No… Who. Bagheera Who.” Bagheera could do this. Maggie needed green egg and ham man Sam. Bagheera can bring him. “Bagheera and Maggie. Need egg ham man Sam. Please. Asset. Bagheera and Maggie.” Bagheera just wanted Maggie to come back. The Asset to come back. Bagheera liked the Asset. 

“Bagheera’s a person?” Okay so now Ross was beyond confused. This was worse than when Shuri tried to explain the science behind vibranium.

“Yes. Bagheera and Maggie. Together.” Suit man is still stupid. Stupid suit man. Bagheera and Maggie together. “Bagheera is Maggie, Maggie is Bagheera.

“So Bagheera is a person?”

“No. Bagheera is… Bagheea is cat? Bagheera is big cat?” Bagheera hated Maggie’s tongue. Bagheera tongue was better. All in room understood the growl.

“Bagheera is a cat? Like a lion?” This was all too much for Ross.

“Try something more jungle like Ross, Hydra had many operations in the Amazon.” O’Connolly was just as confused, but she was going to try and be helpful. “Is Bagheera a leopard?” No sound but the rumble was heard. “How about uhh, a panther? Those come from, there right?” The rumble stopped. And O’Connolly was holding her wrist with her own hand now and had moved slightly away from Maggie.

“Yes, Bagheera is panther. Maggie is human. Hyrda is bad. Maggie and Bagheera.”

“Okay, so let me try and get this straight. You’re called Bagheera. Like from the Jungle Book? And you’re a panther, and you and Maggie are in there together? Hydra did this?” Ross was struggling, O’Connolly and Milmac were looking at each other, equally as confused by all this information. “Is Maggie still in there?”

“Yes. Maggie sleeps. Bagheera controls. Suit man bring Asset and Sam. Please.” A show of Maggie’s teeth brought a smile to Ross’s face.

“Okay so is there a chance we can speak to Maggie again?”

“Maggie sleeps. Bagheera eats?” Bagheera is so hungry.

“Sure yeah food, we can do that.” Bagheera moved herself back into the wheelchair, gripping the arms tightly. “Food. Please.” O’Connolly pushed the chair, steering towards the private dinning area. Halfway there Bagheera’s grip on the handles loosened, and her body slumped forward. Ross and Milmac each grabbed a shoulder, pushing her body back into the chair.

“Net! Net, pozhaluysta, ya budu khoroshim.” Maggie’s eyes were searching frantically around the room, looking for a way out again. “Bitte! Bitte!”

“Maggie, it’s Everett Ross. You remember me, right? It’s okay to use English Maggie.” Ross was treading thin waters here, worried he would set Maggie off again before Sam and his team could get here. “Maggie I need you to tell me if you understand where you are.”

“Yes. Yes I, I know. You’re Everett Ross. You’re supposed to get me food.” Maggie could not believe how hungry she was. And she also couldn’t believe how long it had been since she had asked for food. Bagheera had been in control, she knew that and if Bagheera was in control, then that meant that Ross had spoken to Bagheera.

“Commander Ross? Did, did you speak to, did you speak to Bagheera?”

“Yes, yes we did Maggie, but lets leave that for a moment, let’s get you something to eat, and Sam will be here with Wanda and Bucky shortly.”

Maggie. Maggie think. Bucky. We know this Maggie. Bucky and the Asset. Maggie and Bagheera. We know this. _Yes we do Bagheera. But we will wait. Maybe it is a different Bucky. We’ve been asking for the Asset and no one has said anything._ Ross wasn’t stupid, he saw Maggie’s eyebrows pull together at the mention of Bucky’s name. He has his suspicions, but only the arrival of Sam’s team would determine if they actually knew each other through Hydra or not. His only priority now however, was getting Maggie something to eat, and maybe finding her a movie to watch until Sam arrived.


	4. The Jungle Book

The Jungle Book, was unsurprisingly Maggie’s favourite movie. And not only was she going to get to see it for the first time in years, but she was going to get to show Bagheera where her namesake came from. Her two nurses had wheeled her in front of the biggest television she had seen in her entire life, an IV in each arm, and as many protein and calorie infused popsicles as she could eat before puking. She was sitting in-between two veterans, Adam Nesbitt, and the man who had tried to talk her down in the garage, Amin Connors. Connors, regardless of the massive gash on his face from Maggie, was absolutely ready to lay down his life to protect her. Something about the condition Maggie was in, mixed with her willingness to keep fighting had him feeling for the kid. So preoccupied with the movie, Maggie didn’t hear the four sets of boots entering the room. Her head was slowly dropping onto Ryker’s shoulder, her popsicle slipping out of her hand, the events of the day weighing down on her.

“I think we should let her sleep, we can go over what’s happened since she’s gotten here.” Ross lead Sam and his team away from the lounge, into a smaller conference room. Sitting around the table, Ross passed out the file folders containing Maggie’s intake photographs, doctor’s notes, and all the information she had given them in the short three hours she had been there. “She’s been asking for the both of you. Well, we’re assuming she’s asking for you Bucky, she’s mostly been asking about the Asset, but your name has come up. It seems as if Hydra has fused her with a panther, they share a head space, as well as it seems Maggie’s physical qualities can change.” Ross was really trying his best to explain it, but he didn’t really understand it.

He was mostly speaking to Sam, as Wanda was mostly interested in the medical aspects of the folder, and Bucky was staring at the same picture of Maggie, his brows pulled together in concentration. “Yeah okay because that is totally believable. Aliens, 100-year-old super soldiers, and now my Maggie is what? A messed-up cat Hermionie Granger?” Sam was struggling with this. What he was struggling even more with, was the pain on Bucky’s face, something Ross picked up on as well.

“Sargent Barnes? Are you OK?”

Bucky was not in fact OK. There was nothing OK with what he was looking at, what the picture was telling him. He was looking at his dusha. Her face was thinner than the last time he saw her, new scars littered her body, but her eyes were the same. “I need to see her now.” And Bucky was on his feet, headed towards the door. The only thing that stopped him was the sound of pain Sam made when Bucky tried to forcibly push him out of the way. “Sam please, she’s my, she...”

“Yeah Barnes, not a chance I’m letting you anywhere near her until you tell me exactly how you know her.” The look Bucky gave him was enough to send shivers down Sam’s spine. No matter how many strides the two had made in their relationship, Sam still had nightmares of the whole Winter Soldier ripping his steering wheel off of his car fiasco. Pushing Barnes back into his chair, Sam sat down beside Everett, with Wanda beside Bucky, a steadying hand on his shoulder.

“I’ll be right here Bucky, anything you need, you know I’ll try and help.” Wanda had been instrumental in helping Bucky recover.

“Thanks Wanda,” His voice was shaky, something that rarely happened to him, “I- I just, she, we god I don’t even know where to begin. Sam, I know that she’s your family but to me, she’s my everything. She was my only light in Hydra.” With his hands clenching and unclenching on the table, Bucky was starting to show his tell-tale signs of anxiety.

“What did you call her? Dusha What does that mean?” Ross couldn’t put the label on the language, he thought maybe Russian or German.

“Doesn’t matter. What matters is that she’s in there, and I’m out here. I need to be in there now.” Bucky was getting agitated, Wanda could feel him clenching and unclenching his fist under the table, and she could see the visible tension in his shoulders. Placing her hand on his, Wanda gave a gentle squeeze. “Bucky, you’ve gotta tell us how you know her.”

“I don’t, I don’t know what year it was. She was young when we met.” Bucky’s voice was low, slower than Sam had ever heard. His hand under Wanda’s began fidgeting, and his eyes dropped to the floor.

 

 

“Follow me Asset. We have a project for you.” The Asset followed the handler, a man named Rumlow who he knew he didn’t like. The tunnels became damper and darker the further down they got, the air stiffer and heavier, making it harder to breathe. “She’s an American soldier. Your job is to get information out of her.” Rumlow watched as the Asset simply grunted in acknowledgement and made his way into the room.

Confusion was clear on his face as his eyes assed the situation in front of him. The American was young, no more than 14 or 15, her face bruised, hair hanging loosely around her face, and her uniform stripped off of her save for her cargo pants and a wife beater. The Asset was stood stock still, staring at the girl, emotions that Rumlow hadn’t seen before clear on his face. Curious to how it would play out, Rumlow stood to the side and watched as the Asset took a few choppy steps towards the center of the room, breaking his orders after only seeing the girl for a minute or so. His mouth opened and closed a few times, his eyes flicking to Rumlow looking for some type of order.

“This is the girl; any information is good. I’ll be back in an hour.” And with that, Rumlow pulled the door tight, locking it, and went to the control room to observe. The Asset began removing his tactical gear, not used to the heat of Afghanistan, stripping his weapons and laying them neatly on the table. He could see the girl out of the corner of his eye, something in his brain screaming at him to protect her not hurt her, but it was being shut down by the Asset. Something about her seemed familiar to the other man who lived in his head, but the Asset knew he had a job to do, and not doing the job would lead to punishment.

“Vy skazhete mne, chto vy znayete ob amerikanskikh operatsiyakh na Blizhneem Vostoke.” Russian came off of his tongue naturally, not taking into consideration that the girl wouldn’t understand. Dragging the chair from the corner of the room to right in front of her, he watched as she kept her eyes trained on him, her head still tilted downwards, trying to make it look as if she wasn’t watching him.

The Asset sat in the chair heavily, making a show of throwing his weight around, trying to use his size to intimidate the child in front of him. Spreading his legs further apart, he leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms and furrowing his brow, waiting for the girl to say something to try and get herself out of her situation.

“YA umru, prezhde chem ya tebe chto-nibud’ skazhu.” Her eyes stayed focused on him, her face expressionless.

A sharp laugh came from the Asset, “Znaniye Russkoho ne pomozhet. Oni khotyat, chtoby ya slomal tebya.” Standing, he began pulling tools from the table given to him and began doing what he did best.

 

 

When Rumlow entered an hour later, he was surprised to see the girl still sitting in her chair, and the Asset sitting across from her. She was covered in new cuts and bruises, her shirt and pants peeled away to give more access to more skin, leaving her sitting in just her underwear. What surprised Rumlow was the lack of information the Asset gave him upon entering the room, and the way that he stayed seated in the chair, not rising to attention when Rumlow entered the room.

“Soldier. Do you forget your place?” In a second, the Asset was standing on his feet, stiff as a board, waiting and watching Rumlow for any sign that he would be punished for not showing respect. “What did you get from the girl? Remember none of that Russian garbage, you know I don’t understand it.”

“The girl would not speak.” As he spoke, the Asset watched as the girls eyes snapped up to search his face as he spoke in English, his voice softer than when he spoke Russian.

“So then why did you stop?” Silence was something Rumlow was not used to from the Asset. Silence would be punished, and so it was. The girl, watched as the Asset was pushed onto the ground, Rumlow holding him in the dirt with one hand firmly grasping the back of his neck, his boot pressing his arm backwards, “I asked you a question soldier.” Turing to the girl in the chair, Rumlow’s smile became more sinister. “And you child, you will break, and you will tell us what we want.”

“Like I told your mutt, I’ll die before I tell you anything.” Spitting at his feet, the girl’s eyes showed nothing but defiance. The Asset was still lying in the dirt, but he could see her stiff body language and hard voice, every thing she was doing showing some type of refusal. He watched, as she stiffened even more as Rumlow moved to stand behind her, placing a hand on either of her shoulders, bending down to put his head in the crook of her neck.

“You’ll wish you were dead little one.” A smile, and Rumlow calling for soldiers from the tunnel, brought fear onto the girl’s face, making the Asset and the man in his head tense. The girl was wearing only her underwear, and his handler was bringing more men into the room.

Standing straight, Rumlow walked to greet the men, speaking lowly with the man in front, nodding occasionally at the girl on the chair. As the man Rumlow was speaking too stepped forward towards the girl, something in the Asset snapped, causing him to push himself out of the dirt, and place himself in front of the girl. The man in his head was trying to gain control, but this was different than normal. This time, the man in his head was angry, normally he was just upset or emotional, but this anger felt like it was ready to consume him.

“Net” The Assets posture screamed danger, causing the soldier Rumlow had called in to back up quickly. Exchanging a look with the girl, the Assets voice was low and soft, the Russian this time coming off softer than before, “YA zashchishchu tebya, ditya.” Turning to face Rumlow again, the Asset stood still as a fist connected with his gut, no sound coming from him.

Snorting, Rumlow turned back to the men he had invited into the room. “I am very sorry for this, obviously we’re having some issues with the programming, I guess there’s some, uh, desires you can’t remove all the way.” Laughing was heard, the girl in the chair still staring at the man standing in front of her. Her eyes tracked Rumlow as he turned to face the man they were calling the Asset, watching as he stood inches from the man. “You will report for reconditioning immediately. Go now.”

Stepping aside, Rumlow watched as the Asset took a handful of steps away from the girl, his movements seeming to be slower and choppier than they normally are. As the Assets head turned back to look at the girl one more time, Rumlow took that as oppourtunity to hit him again. Placing his hands on the Asset’s shoulder, he shoved him towards the tunnel door, speaking lowly. “Remember this you good for nothing waste of food, had you showed no interest in her, I would have let her die quickly, but now,” Rumlow broke with a small laugh, “now she’s going to be broken by theses lovely men until she either tells us what we want, or she begs for death.”

 

 

Sam had to get Bucky to stop, he himself was getting sick from listening to this, and it was having a physical affect on Bucky. “I, Jesus Christ Barnes, you gotta stop.” Anger couldn’t begin to describe what Sam was feeling, and everyone in the room could see the toll it was taking on both of them. As much as Sam wanted to hear exactly how Bucky had been involved in Maggie’s life for the last 13 years, he could see the stress it was causing him. His nervous ticks he had shed over the last three years were beginning to appear again, fidgeting with his shirt hem, pulling from Wanda’s touch, and avoiding eye contact. The way his shoulders seemed to pull in on himself as an attempting to make himself seem smaller almost broke Sam’s heart. He didn’t particularly want to be Bucky’s best friend, but the guy had been through hell, and was doing his best to be a better person.

The way he became upset at the telling of the first time he met Maggie had Sam feeling even worse about his reluctance to let Bucky see her. Looking to Ross for any indication that they could finally see Maggie, Sam was worried about Maggie’s reaction to not only him, but Bucky as well. Ross had gotten up halfway through Barnes’ retelling, resting his head against the door, realizing for the first time exactly why Maggie was so scared of the soldiers initiating touch.

Leading the somber group back towards the rec room where Maggie and her soldiers were in, Ross made everyone stop at the door. “We need to go in one at a time, I’ll go in first as she knows me, and Sam you can come in shortly after.” Maggie was sat in her wheelchair still, Connors to her left, Nesbitt on her right, her eyes focused on the television but not really watching.

As Ross neared her head snapped up, both her and Bagheera on high alert. Ross was moving slower than normal, doing his best to follow O’Connolly’s suggestion to project his movements before he made them. A short nod from Connor invited Ross closer to Maggie, her eyes following his every move carefully. “Good evening Maggie. I have some good news for you.” Slow and steady, just like everyone had been telling him, Ross was getting good at this whole dealing with mentally unstable super soldiers. “Sam is here, would you like to see him?” Nesbitt and Connors both tensed in their seats, both already protective of the young woman sitting in between them.

“Sam?” Her voice was soft, eyes tracking every small movement Ross made. “Where?” Moving to get out of her wheelchair, she was stopped by Connors placing his hand on her wrist. Eyes dropping from Ross to Connors her upper lip pulled back to reveal her inhuman teeth, a low rumble coming from her chest.

“Hey kid, why are we growling at the nice men?” Sam joked, trying his best to make light of this heavy reunion. The years hadn’t been kind to Maggie, exhaustion clear on her face. Her eyes were sunken in, cheekbones protruding under taunt skin, her hair hanging limply around her face. What made Sam’s heart hurt the most was the way her teeth were still barred, her body shaking where she was standing from the extersion she was putting on her body.

The slight smile Sam had was gone when Maggie’s eyes came up to meet his, tears beginning in his and her eyes. Slowly walking towards her, Sam was caught off guard when Maggie all but sunk back into her chair, bringing her knees up to her chest again.

“Stop.” The word was short and forceful, Maggie’s body language showing nothing but fear. There were still tears in her eyes, but she was watching Sam warily.

“Maggie? It’s me Sam.” Sadness was clear on his face, Ross couldn’t help but feel sorry for him.

“Mad.” _Sam was going to be mad. We know this Bagheera. We made him a promise and we broke it_. No. Maggie look. Green eggs and ham man Sam. Brother. We know Sam. Good Sam. Sam brings food.

“Mad? Maggie you don’t think I’m mad at you, do you?” Nothing could prepare Sam for the idea that his Mags could possibly think he was mad at her. Crouching down, he stayed in the spot where Maggie had told him to. Watching closely as she gave her arms to either soldier sitting beside her, and as they removed the IV’s she was attached to, Sam could see the lack of any emotion she showed. She stood, walked slowly to where Sam was crouched, and slowly sat on the ground in front of him.

“I promised. I told you I would come home. I promised.” Her eyes stayed on the ground, hands sitting flat on her thighs, facing upwards. “I promised Sam and I didn’t come home.” Fat tears were rolling down her cheeks, her shoulders shaking with her sadness and her fear of Sam’s anger.

One thing, Ross thought he would never witness, was Sam Wilson, Captain America’s right hand man and trusted ally, break down crying while crouching on the ground. “Maggie, Maggie look at me come on, how could I be mad at you?” Her eyes came up to meet his, everyone in the room holding their breath. “You’re my little sister, how could I ever be mad at you?” O’Connolly and Wanda who had been watching from the hall, were both crying at this point, and even though he would never admit it, Bucky could feel the tears rolling down his cheeks as well.

“Not mad?” Bringing her eyes up, Maggie saw the tears in Sam’s eyes, the look of pain on his face. “Sam, I… Sam I tried to come home I really did.” Sliding herself closer towards him, Maggie kept her eyes locked firmly on his. “Stay, Sam, just stay.” A slow nod from Sam was all Maggie needed to bring her hand up slowly to cup his cheek. Letting his eyes shut, and leaning into her hand, Sam let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding for the last 13 years. Her hand, despite how calloused it was, was still warm and soft against his cheek, her wrist, as he turned his head slightly towards it, still smelt like the Maggie he remembered all those years ago.

The choked sound that came out of Maggie’s chest was unexpected, and Sam barley opened his eyes in time to see Maggie launch herself at him, burying her head in the crook of his neck, breathing deeply, one hand locked firmly around his neck, the other under his arm grabbing the back of his shirt. Bringing his arms up to wrap under both of Maggie’s arms, Sam continued crying, not believing that he was holding her in his arms again. Her shaking frame was all but sitting on Sam, both of them seeming unable to get close enough to each other. A chant of “I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry” came from Maggie on repeat, her words being broken up by sobs and a mixture of Russian, her voice barley a whisper.

Sam was struggling, knowing that he needed to calm her down before she cried herself into exhaustion, but he was so content just holding her in his arms. Sometime during their reunion, everyone else in the room had left, trying to give the two of them much needed privacy. A light knock on the door brought Maggie and Sam apart, tears still flowing down both of their cheeks unabashedly. A slight nod from Maggie was all Sam needed to call for whoever had knocked to enter the room. Ross entered with Connors and Nesbitt, Wanda following slightly behind.

Sam felt Maggie tense in his arms at the arrival of Wanda, her eyes slowly going back and forth between Sam and Wanda, looking for some type of approval. Crouching slightly behind Sam, Wanda gave Maggie her best smile, and was surprised when it was quickly returned. Sam whispered something in Maggie’s ear, to which the smile became even bigger, “Sam’s friend?” It was almost a question, almost a statement, but Wanda was just happy to be acknowledge by Maggie.

Her nod was excited, her smile even bigger, as Wanda very slowly extended her hand, watching for any sign of discomfort from Maggie, “Yeah, I’m Sam’s friend, my name is Wanda.” Maggie’s hand felt not only small, but clammy in her hand, a sign of the stress she had endured. The nod Maggie gave her made Wanda happy, the way her eyes locked and stayed on Wanda’s was taken as a sign of trust.

“Maggie, there’s one more person I want you to meet,” Sam was doing his best at keeping his voice even, trying not to seem too excited, “his name is James Barnes, does that sound familiar.”

“I, I knew a Barnes. He didn’t go by James.” Pulling herself out of Sam’s lap, Maggie made herself comfortable on the floor, taking the blanket Connors handed to her. The sound of the door opening had everyone’s heads turning and then turning back to see Maggie’s reaction. Standing in the doorway, Bucky hadn’t felt this in the spotlight since Tony had caught him snooping in his lab for snacks. As quickly as Maggie had thrown herself into Sam’s arms, she had pushed herself off of the floor, and was walking as fast as she could manage towards Bucky. Bucky himself, was rooted to the floor, unbelieving that his kotenok was walking towards him.

The weight of Maggie slamming into him was welcomed, something that he hadn’t realized he had been missing these last few years. Tears began flowing down his face, Sam watching from the center of the room also crying, as Maggie began whispering in his ear, “I told you, I told you I would find you again.”

Ross, who hated breaking up a moment like this, knew that if he didn’t get Sam and his team loaded back into their vehicle soon, they would all be stuck staying another night at the base. Ushering Ryker and Nesbitt out of the room to prep the vehicle, Ross couldn’t help but smile one last time at the scene that had unfolded in front of him.

This had been an interesting interrogation indeed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all! So i'm going to try and post once a week, what time is everyone most active? Also, i didn't know how to end this chapter because I really wanted to do the reunions justice, but was focused mostly on Maggie and Sam, I pinkie promise that this will become more Bucky centric soon!


	5. Bucky's got a gun

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can i just say how incredibly sorry I am for posting this so late! I got a new job, had two final exams, and adopted a puppy this week so it's been very hectic! I also hate this chapter with all of my heart so I am so sorry for it! I'll have chapter six up on Thursday, and again, so incredibly sorry for this garbage chapter!

O’Connolly was so preoccupied with prepping all the notes she had taken on Maggie, that she didn’t notice, or hear, the 260 pounds of ex-assassin walking into her lab.

“Can I ask you something?” Bucky, on the other hand, was aware of everything in the room, from O’Connolly’s rapidly increased heart rate, the perspiration on the back of her neck, and the six cameras placed strategically around the room.

Hand on her chest, the other clutching the paperwork she was holding, Sarah O’Connolly was just about finished dealing with super soldiers and super humans coming in and out of her lab whenever they pleased. If it wasn’t this massive man sneaking up on her it was that crazy man in the red spandex who came to her with severed limbs begging her to reset them who somehow always managed to find her when he needed help. “Sargent Barnes is it?” O’Connolly knew that despite being 4’10, and only 100lbs, she could look intimidating when need be, and having people barge into her lab, unannounced, was a time to be intimidating. “I would appreciate if you would knock on the door next time please.” Putting the paperwork back on the counter, she nodded to the office attached to the lab.

The office was homely, a soft yellow colour, pictures of Sarah and her husband and children and family covered the walls. Her desk was as un-O’Connolly as Bucky could imagine, papers and file folders scattered among small office items, nothing seemed to have order, a stark contrast to her lab. All but throwing himself into the chair, Bucky could tell already that this wasn’t going to be an easy conversation.

“I, God I don’t even know where to begin. I need to know something about Maggie.” Nothing but regret could be seen in his posture and his eyes, his shoulders slumped down, making him seem smaller.

“Sargent Barnes, you know I can’t tell you anything involving Maggie’s medical treatment unless you are a spouse or legal guardian.” She was stern, knowing that the man in front of her was probably used to getting his way. Opening and closing his mouth, Bucky was unsure how to phrase the question he wanted to ask.

“I just, I’m so scared that she won’t be okay.” His eyes came up to meet O’Connolly’s, pulling her gaze with how old they made him seem.

“Sargent Barnes I’m not that type of doctor.”

“I know,” Bucky sighed, dragging a hand down his face, “its just that you created her medical reports, you were on site for her psychological evaluation, you have to have some idea.” Pulling himself up from his slouch, Bucky straightened his posture, spreading his legs wider apart, trying to make himself appear more put together.

“I’d like to tell you that she will be okay, but the poor kid has been through hell and back.” O’Connolly had felt pity for many of her patients, but the emotions that Maggie brought out in her went far beyond that. “If we are judging based off of her physical trauma alone, I would guess her recovery could take upwards of years.” Being truthful was a quality Sarah wished she didn’t possess, the pain her estimate seemed to bring Bucky was very clear. Reaching a hand across the desk to hold Bucky’s, O’Connolly weighed the options she had in front of her. On one hand she could break her employee patient confidentiality agreement and tell Bucky something he was likely aware of, and on the other hand, she could keep her mouth shut and let the cards fall where they may. Unfortunately for Sarah, she had never been one to believe in fate.

“Sargent Barnes, there is very little I can tell you, but there’s one thing I do want to ask you.” His hand was clenching and unclenching underneath hers, fear of what O’Connolly wanted to ask causing Bucky to panic. “Would you be able to tell me anything about the number of bullet wounds in her left chest?”

Pulling his brows together, Bucky pulled his hand out from under Sarah’s. “What?” That was not where Bucky had thought this conversation was headed, he was hoping for a much different conversation.

“I, I guess uh, I put those there.” Letting his voice trail off, Bucky’s guilt was clear.

“Continue please Sargent Barnes.”

“It was the last day we were together, maybe a week before the project insight fiasco.”

 

 

 

Maggie could hardly contain her excitement, Hydra, the idiots that they were, we’re sending her and the Asset to America. The plane they were on was a standard American military cargo plane, her and the Asset were crammed into the cargo hold. Maggie could feel him at her back, the sharpness of his metal arm digging into her spine.

“Can you move your entire stupid body back please.” Her irritation was evident, the long plane ride causing her to lash out.

A grunt was all she got, along with the shifting of the Asset until they were sitting with Maggie in between his legs, her back pressed into his chest. His arms came to wrap around her middle, his head dipping down to her ear, his voice barely audible, “You know what will happen if they hear you.”

“Oh right, I forgot the stickler for rules the one and only Asset was my crate buddy.” Sarcasm, after all these years, never seemed to leave Maggie. Shifting her body forward to break contact from the Asset, Maggie could feel the sigh from him in the little space they shared.

“You know I hate when you call me that,” Reaching forward to pull Maggie back against him, he brought his arms to hold more tightly against her small frame, “Bucky. My name is Bucky.”

Maggie’s light laughter filled the crate, “Careful, I thought we were worried about them hearing us?”

Another grunt, and the movement of Bucky shifting to recline a little more, well as much as they could in the crate, and the sound of him humming was enough to bring some sort of calm to Maggie. Letting her mind drift, she began daydreaming of how she could get her and Bucky away from Hydra long enough to call Sam. Her Sam, her brother, the one person she knew she would be able to trust. It would be the best day of her life, her and Sam would take Bucky down to the little mom and pop restaurant on the corner of 43rd street and let him eat as many cheeseburgers as he wanted. And then her and Bucky would grow old together, and Sam would be the best uncle to as many children as they could manage to have. And Bagheera, however she played into that future, would be happy as well, given the chance to sit in as many sunspots as possible.

Maggie's daydreaming was cut short by the descent of the plane, the choppiness jarring Maggie against Bucky’s chest, waking him from his nap. “Are we there? We better get into position.” Both turned away from each other, returning to the position they were placed in the crate, sitting back to back, facing away from each other, their knees pulled to their chests, hands crossed around, heads hanging low against their knees. They stayed sitting this way for about another forty minutes as the plane landed, and the agents tasked with transporting them came into the cargo hold. Russian could be heard coming from maybe three feet outside the crate, slowly increasing, a loud bang followed, as well as the sound of wood splintering, and harsh sunlight filled the crate. As the sides were peeled away and more space was made available, both Bucky and Maggie stayed in their positions, muscles cramping from the strain.

Brock Rumlow was standing in front of Bucky, a series of guards fanning around him. “Stand up, both of you now,” he was just as gruff spoken as Maggie remembered, “ready yourself for inspection.” Moving to stand shoulder to shoulder, Maggie did her best to keep her face as neutral as possible. Bucky had decades of practice, his posture and facial expression had gone into Asset mode, completely replacing the man she shared the crate with. Her eyes wandered around the plane, trying to get a glimpse of the outside through a window.

“Tell me soldier, what do you think is going to happen this week?” Rumlow had that stupid smirk out that Maggie hated.

“The mission is to remove one Director Nicholas J Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D followed by the removal of Captain Steven Grant Rogers, with the Handler overseeing each aspect of the mission, after which project insight will go live.” Stoic was the word to use for the way the Asset gave reports.

“And what do you think will happen to you and your bitch, oh sorry, I mean your Handler?” His eyes travelled to meet Maggies, his smirk turning even more malicious.

“I am unsure of the mission after this one is completed, we will await further assignment.” Rumlow’s sharp laugh was enough to cause Maggie to want to puke, not only had he been key in making her life hell for the last 10 years, but he was also an American who turned his back on his country, and his stupid laugh kept reminding her of all the horrors he had caused.

“See what’s going to happen, is your little whore here is going to be put down, and you’re going to be the one to do it. Then, I’m going to put a bullet in your head, and send little pieces of your body to your great granddaughter. How does that sound?” No emotion, was seen from the Asset, and Maggie, for all her defiance knew when to keep quiet. Her eyes however, were not as good at guarding secrets as the Asset.

“Did you have something to say? Going to try and weasel your way out of it?” Maggie flicked her eyes to the Asset, searching for something and finding nothing. _Jesus Bagheera, what are we supposed to say? He wants us to tell him what we’re carrying._ No. Maggie no. Bagheera and Maggie will protect. This one will live. Bucky will protect. The Asset will protect. We will keep. Bagheera and Maggie will protect. _I know Bagheera, but if insight goes up then they will take her and kill us_. No, no. Bucky will fix. He will fix us. We will wait. _Okay Bagheera, we will wait_.

“Fine, so I guess you don’t have anything to tell me that might hinder the mission? No surprises?” Silence was something Rumlow was not a fan of. Moving forward to Maggie, Rumlow pulled a knife from his hip holster, “How about you sweetheart?” Rumlow’s path was cut short by the Asset placing his body in front of Maggie, a low sounding growl coming from his throat, as well as a louder more animalistic snarl coming from Maggie’s chest.

“Really soldier? Last time you were this possessive your bitch was pregnant,” the slight pause heard snickers coming from the other soldiers in the cargo hold, “are you sure neither of you want to tell me anything.”

“I’m not sure if I’m with child or not.” Maggie’s voice caused the Asset to stiffen, knowing she would be punished for speaking out.

“Well did you bleed?” Her eyes met Rumlow’s, her lip pulling up to reveal Bagheera’s teeth.

“Fine, separate them.” Two soldier dragged Maggie backwards from the Asset, another three moving to create a barrier between the two of them. “See what were going to do here is I’m going to put a bullet in both of your legs, and the I’m going to ship you right back to Russia where you will sit in a cell for nine months. As soon as that thing is out of you, I’m going to shoot you.” Fear was clear in everything Maggie was displaying, the thought of losing her child to Hydra was killing her.

Eyes connecting with the Asset, she saw the one thing she needed to see. A tear rolled down her check, knowing deep inside her heart that this was going to be it for her. Not a chance Bucky or the Asset would let anything like this happen to her or the baby. Death, no matter how hard they had tried to avoid it, was ineveitable. Bagheera could feel it as well, she was oddly quiet for Rumlow being present, normally she was filling Maggie’s head with different ways to kill him. Sending out one last prayer to whoever was listening to keep her Sam safe, and give him a long and happy life, Maggie stood as straight as she could, determined to go out strong.

Holding eye contact with Bucky, Maggie was almost too slow to see him break his arm free of his guards grasp, reach for his gun, life his arm and fire. The first thing Maggie noticed, was the sound that the three shots made. The second thing she noticed, was the regret on Bucky’s face, having lost the mask that the Asset carried. The third thing, and the last thing Maggie noticed, was the feeling of emptiness the bullets brought, the lack of Bagheera in her head, and the lack of everything she was supposed to be feeling.

As she hit the floor, Bucky was thrown to the ground as well, his arm wrenched behind his back, his face being pressed into the floor by Rumlow’s boot. As Maggie’s eyes connected with Bucky’s one last time, she thought to no one in particular, that had she been able to choose, those eyes would have been the last thing she wanted to see no matter how life led them there.

 

 

“That was four years ago, the last time I saw her,” Bucky pushed away from the desk, turning his body away from O’Connolly, “I failed her then, I need to know what I can do to keep from failing her again.”

“Sargent Barnes no one expects you to be there for her one hundred percent. The two of you were placed in horrific living conditions and relied on each other to survive. Why don’t we head over to the garage, we can continue this conversation later?” Directing Bucky towards the office door, O’Connolly was still shaken from the graphic picture Bucky had painted for her.

 

 

 

 

 

Maggie could hardly wait to be in Sam’s home, surrounded by his new family, and having her Bucky with her again. Speaking of Bucky, Maggie hadn’t seen him since they left the rec room, and now that she knew he was here, it was difficult not to see him.

“How are you feeling?” Sam asked, sitting beside her in the back seat.

“Like the luckiest girl in the world,” Maggie’s smile went from ear to ear, “I can’t wait to sleep in a bed Sam.” _Bagheera, Sam’s probably going to give us our own room. We’ll have our own dresser, and out own bed, and Bagheera, I bet if I ask we can even get a room a couple of stories up._ The sky. Maggie the sky. All the birds. All the clouds. The sky Maggie. _Yes Bagheera, we can see the sky, don’t worry it will be great._

“Yeah kid, trust me, there’s nothing you deserve more than your own bed.” Smiling, Sam turned to see Wanda sliding into the front seat of the SUV. Wanda turned around to look at Sam and Maggie in the backseat smiling at the both of them sitting side by side.

“It will be nice to have another sibling pair in the tower; Pietro and I will finally no longer be the odd ones out.” Wanda’s smile was almost bigger than Maggie’s, her happiness of the success of the mission finally showing. “As soon as Bucky gets here we can begin the drive to the airport.” As soon as Wanda spoke, Bucky could be seen walking down the ramp with O’Connolly his gait was stunted, his left side heavier with the briefcase he was carrying.

“I have all of the medical files for Dr Banner.” Making eye contact with Maggie, Bucky gave a slight smile, and moved into the front seat, nodding at Wanda to begin the drive. An hour in, and Maggie was asleep, her head resting on Sam’s shoulder. “God, there’s nothing I missed more than having her sitting beside me.”

Making eye contact with Bucky in the rear-view mirror, Sam realized he wasn’t the only one who felt that way. Bucky’s sharp nod was conformation enough, and it made Sam feel a little more at ease about the whole Bucky and Maggie working together in Hydra for a decade thing. The remainder of the car ride, and the flight from Bismarck to the compound was the most uneventful experience of everyone’s life on the mission. The thing that worried the little team the most was getting Maggie into the compound with as little stress as possible. Not only was she going to be on high alert, but with all of Bagheera’s senses telling her she was in a new spot, she was going to be in constant combat mode. Sam called ahead, informing Bruce to prep the med bay, and Steve to ensure that everyone made them self scarce.

“Maggie, we need you to get into the wheelchair so we can take you to see Dr Banner.” Sam, ever diligent was trying to speak as quietly and calmly as he could, as Maggie had already begun to tense at their arrival. Her eyes were wildly searching the lounge area, trying to pinpoint something Sam couldn’t see. “Maggie what’s wrong?”

“Sam where’s Bucky?” Still not moving from her seat, Maggie dug her hands into her armrest, her agitation and Bagheera’s unease having serious affects on her demeanor. “I can’t go without Bucky.”

“Hey it’s okay, he’s coming he’s just grabbing our go bags.” Cue Bucky walking towards the rest of the team, his shoulders weighed down once more with three go bags plus Maggie’s briefcase. As soon as Maggie made contact with Bucky, her posture changed, hands relaxing, breathing slowing down. _There he is Bagheera, we wont leave without him for sure._ The Asset. Our Bucky. Our soldier. Here. _Yes Bagheera, that’s kinda what I said_.

“You ready?” Eyes holding Maggie’s, Bucky searched for any sign of reluctance at entering the compound.

“I guess.” _Speak only a little bit right Bagheera? Bucky wont ever be mad with us, but his family and Sam’s family, we don’t know the yet._ Good. Maggie Good. Think smart. Think like Bagheera, think like the Asset. Good. With Bucky pushing Maggie’s wheelchair and Wanda to her left and Sam to her right, Maggie clutched her bag she was given at the base filled with an odd assortment of clothes given to her by a number of live in residents. The four of them waited for the elevator to come down to the first floor.

Maggie could feel Bucky’s breath on her back, such a little notion that brought waves of comfort to Maggie. Reaching a hand up, Maggie placed it on her shoulder, Bucky’s hand coming up to cover it. “You’re going to love it here moya dusha, don’t worry, everyone here will love you.”


	6. Budapest

The compound was the biggest thing Maggie had ever seen in her life. She had been to Budapest, Rome, Toronto, and nothing compared to the sheer size of the compound. Bucky was pushing her wheelchair, Wanda at her left and Sam at her right, Maggie was relaxed. The four made it up to the living quarters without any interruption.

Bucky hated being the center of attention. He hated walking into a room knowing that everyone was staring at him, at his arm, trying to figure out if he was a threat or not. He could only imagine the stress Maggie was feeling. Looking down at her, Bucky could see the way her hands were flexing on the armrests of her wheelchair, he could see the way her legs kept shifting, trying to gain some sort of purchase on the footrests. “Maggie, take a deep breath, I’m right here with you and so is Sam.”

“Will everyone be here?” Maggie asked, searching the common room for any new faces.

“They’re all doing other things, we thought it would be best for you to get checked over by doctor Banner first.” Bucky answered, pushing Maggie towards the elevator. The ding that signaled the elevators arrival startled Maggie enough to cause her to jump, putting Sam and Bucky on high alert. Wanda was the only one who was smart enough to keep her cool, placing a hand on Maggie’s shoulder, sending some of her calming magic into her. “It’s just the elevator Maggie.” Wanda was nothing but smiles, “It’s going to take us to see Bruce.”

Settling into her chair again, the look of total trust Maggie gave Wanda was enough to make Wanda feel special on some level. “Sure, an elevator, that’s something normal people do.”

Backing Maggie into the elevator, Bucky was surprised to see how easy Maggie took to Wanda. “Sargent Barnes shall I inform Dr Banner of your arrival?” JARVIS, the ever-helpful AI interrupted the groups small chatter.

“Of course, Jarvis, please inform him to stay casual as well, no lab coats.” Making eye contact with Sam, Bucky couldn’t help but return the slight smile he was given.

Remembering his first time in Dr Banner’s lab brought back bad memories, something he wanted Maggie to avoid.

Bruce’s lab was as always, spotless. Bruce had Tony remodel the entire floor to his taste, crisp white floor tiles, walls, and ceilings all accented with light grey argyle patterns, and yellow rugs near the small sitting space. Bruce’s lab was his happy place, somewhere where he could be mellow, and not worried about the other guy making an appearance, that is, until Sam, Bucky, Wanda and Maggie came strolling in. “I told you Barnes, I don’t care how you feel about her, I’m her legal guardian, I’ll be the one staying with her.” Sam argued, Bruce watching intently, curious at how the argument would play out.

“And as Peter says, that’s absolute trash.” Bucky couldn’t help but be petty with Sam, he was trying to keep him away from Maggie. “It’s been me and her for the last 11 years Sam, I have to be here.”

“Yeah, over my goddamn dead body Barnes.” Snorting, Sam threw himself into the chair across from Bruce.

“Sam, Bucky, what’s the problem?” Bruce was not impressed to see the two bickering again.

“Frosty seems to think that he should be the one to oversee Maggie’s medical care," Huffing, Sam turned his body to face Bruce head on, “I think he’s forgetting who her actual legal guardian is.”

“Okay I’ll make this simple for both of you, Maggie, do you want either Bucky or Sam present for any medical procedures or examinations?” Bruce asked, effectively shutting both Bucky and Sam up.

“No sir.” Maggie answered, eyes trained on the ground, hands still tightly gripping her armrests. _We don’t want either of them listening to anything we say to the doctor right Bagheera?_ No Sam. No Asset. Just Maggie and Bagheera.

“See? Maggie wants neither of you here, out you go, you too Wanda.” Ushering the three back towards the elevator Bruce gave them his best ‘sorry I’m doing my job for once’ smile and turned to face Maggie.

“So, Maggie, can I call you Maggie?” Bruce was puttering around now, smoothing out the sheet that covered the medical bed. Looking up to see the small nod from Maggie, Bruce continued his routine, grabbing smaller items from around the lab to bring to the bed.

“Can you please come have a seat for me? If its more comfortable you can lie down, or you can stay sitting on the bed.”

“Sure, I can sit there.” Maggie was moving slowly, stepping out of the wheelchair towards the bed. Wobbling on her legs, Bruce put an arm out, not touching her, but offering it in case she needed it, something Maggie was thankful for. “Thank you, Dr Banner,” voice barley a whisper, Maggie grabbed onto his arm, allowing him to help guide her to the bed. Sitting in the center, Maggie watched carefully as Bruce pulled out his stethoscope and approached her. Talking quietly through his work, Bruce asked periodically for Maggie to breathe in and out, twist here and there, not once treating her different than he would any other patient.

“Maggie, I’m going to need you to answer some questions for me,” Moving to grab his notebook, Bruce sat down again in his chair, speaking evenly and maintaining eye contact with Maggie, “you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to okay?”

“Sure, I can do that.” _Oh Bagheera, he seems nice._ Good man. Good doctor. Sam’s friend.

“Maggie can you tell me how old you are?” Voice soft, eyes still holding Maggie’s, Bruce was watching her carefully for any sign of stress. Confusion was clear on Maggie’s face.

 _Bagheera, I think this is a test. How old are we? They haven’t told us the date yet?_ Think Maggie. Nice doctor. Sam’s friend. Bucky’s friend. Ask. We can ask. _Ask Bagheera? Ask a question? We get in trouble for asking questions._ No ask. Maggie ask.

“I.. No ones, no ones told me the date yet,” Eyes dropping down from Bruce’s, Maggie’s hands clenched on her pant legs.

“Oh god, I’m so sorry Maggie, it’s May 31, 2018 today.” Not knowing the date was something Bruce couldn’t fathom.

“I, I guess that would make me 26 then.” Eyes coming up to meet Bruce’s Maggie had a slight smile on her face. “This is the first time I’ve known my age in years.”

“Well, I’m glad to hear that,” Bruce was still struggling with how easy-going Maggie was with all his questions, considering what she’d been through, “Just a few more questions.” Running through his list he had prepared, Bruce could see Maggie slowly becoming more and more drowsy, getting to the point where her entire body was starting to slump. Every time she was almost asleep, she would shake herself awake, unwilling to sleep. “Maggie, if you wanted we could stop and I can take you to your room to get some rest?”

“I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep Dr Banner,” Tears showing in Maggie’s eyes, she was exhausted with all the questions, but more worried about trying to fall asleep, “I’m scared if I sleep they’ll come for me.”

“Who Maggie?” Bruce asked quietly, voice as soft as he could manage.

“All the people I’ve hurt,” Tears now flowing freely down Maggie’s face, “they always come when I’m sleeping.”

Reaching a hand forward slowly, Bruce took Maggie’s much smaller hands in his. “Maggie, I can give you something that will allow you to sleep without dreaming if you want?” Understanding was clear in Bruce’s eyes, he knew all too well what it was like to be haunted at night by the people you had hurt. “Would you like that?”

 _Bagheera a chance to sleep without the nightmares? Can you imagine? Good._ Maggie say yes. Bagheera wants rest. Maggie wants rest. Say yes. “Please Dr Banner, I would like that more than anything.” Her weak smile indicator enough that she wanted nothing more than to sleep.

“Okay, sleep we can do,” Smiling, Bruce wheeled himself back to his desk, shuffling through some paperwork to find the right dosage for Maggie, “Do you want to say goodnight to Sam and Bucky first?”

“Please.” Moving to the bed that Bruce had wheeled in for her, Maggie made herself comfortable on it. She could vaguely hear Bruce asking JARVIS to ask Bucky and Sam to meet them in the med bay. The feeling of Bruce rolling her while she was lying on the bed was oddly calming. Maggie, being so exhausted, didn’t even notice the two of them getting into the elevator, she did however notice Bruce’s quiet chattering, talking about his day. “We’re here Maggie, Sam and Bucky will be here soon as well.” Bruce pushed Maggie into her place, a spot near the window facing the pool and the garden at the back of the compound. As if waiting for Bruce to mention their names, Bucky and Sam came rushing into the lab, both making a bee line for Maggie.

Intercepting them, Bruce put both of his hands up, effectively stopping them, “Slow down, both of you. You need to be careful with her, she’s exhausted and incredibly malnourished.”

“Yeah, sure no problem Bruce.” Nodding at Bucky, Sam went to sit beside Maggie’s bed, pulling the chair as close as he could get. “Hey kid, how ya feeling?”

“Oh ya know, trying my best to be a functioning human.” A weak smile was the best she could give Sam. “Dr Banner is going to give me something to help me sleep.”

“Did he say how long you’d be out for?” Eye’s not leaving Maggie’s, Sam could feel his heart breaking at the idea of having to say goodbye to her again after just getting her back.

“No, said it could be a few days or a few weeks, just depends on how much rest my body needs.” Staring at her hands, Maggie couldn’t help but feel guilt at leaving her Sam again. “You gotta promise me something though Sam.”

“Anything Maggie.”

“If they need you, if they even think they need you to go on a mission, you go okay?” Voice stronger now, eye’s holding that determination that they had been lacking the last few days.

“Mags you know I can’t leave if you-“ Cutting Sam off, Maggie pulled her hand from his, bringing it to rest on his cheek again. “Sammy, they need you right? You can’t stop helping people because I’m back,” Tears coming up again as Sam leaned into Maggie’s hand, “Helping people is what you do right?”

Nodding, Sam let the warmth of Maggie’s hand be enough for the moment they shared, “You know I’ll only be a phone call away if you wake up and I’m gone right?”

“Of course, Sammy.” Pulling her hand from Sam’s cheek, Maggie watched as he stood slowly, walking back to Bucky. Making noticing the small exchange the two shared, Sam placing a hand on Bucky’s shoulder, and the curt nod he got in return.

“Maggie.”

“Bucky.”

“You know something, the eleven years I knew you, you never once told me your name?” Shaking his head, Bucky leaned back in his chair, unsure of his place with Maggie.

“I couldn’t Buck, couldn’t let them know in case they traced me back to Sam.” Holding eye contact, Maggie let out a little laugh, trying to make the best of their weird relationship, “So, what do you think? Does Maggie suit me better than Susan?”

Laughing, actually full belly laughing for the first time in a while, Bucky couldn’t help what he said next, “Susan sounds like a PTA mom, Maggie suits you much better.”

“Why are you so far away?” Her hand was trying to reach up to grab his, but the medicine Dr Banner had given her was finally starting to affect her. “Come closer Bucky.”

Leaning towards Maggie, taking her hand in his, Bucky was taken back to every moment they shared in secret, every touch they had behind their handlers backs, and as tough as Bucky was supposed to be, he couldn’t help the tears that began to fall. “God Maggie, I don’t know how I’m going to just keep going about my life knowing you’re in here.” “You have to Bucky, that's what soldiers do, we just keep on moving.” Using the last of her strength, Maggie brushed the tears off of his cheeks, hands coming back to rest on her stomach. Yawning, Maggie could feel the sleep begin to take over, eyes searching to find Sam one last time, she was surprised to see him standing slightly behind Bucky. “My two boys, you promise me you’ll keep doing your jobs okay, I’ll be in here just sleeping.”

“You got it kid, me and Barnes are best friends for life anyways, don’t ya know?” Happy to see the smile Maggie had on her face as her eyes slowly shut, lashes falling on her cheeks, Sam couldn’t help but feel a range of emotions, Bucky likely feeling them as well.

“Both of you can go now, I’m going to bring a nurse in to monitor her 24/7, maybe have someone try and clean her as best we can as well.” Ushering the two men out the door, Bruce was close to tears himself, his heart aching for the young woman sleeping, oblivious to the world.

 

 

 

“Steve?” Bucky was tired, fed up, and angry. His Maggie was sleeping, and he was torn emotionally.

“I’m in the kitchen Buck.” Steve was calling to him from their communal kitchen area. Walking into the kitchen, Bucky was surprised to see Steve wearing his “Kiss the Captain” apron, a gag gift from Tony. Steve was arms deep in some type of mush, a goofy smile on his face, and his eyes full of the laughter Bucky so desperately needed.

“What are ya making Stevie?” Bucky asked with a smirk, throwing himself into the wooden chair at the table.

“Uh well, it was supposed to be some type of casserole? I was trying to surprise you but uh, I don’t think I did anything right?” Hands coming out of the dish, Bucky could make out some type of noodle, and what looked like either fish or chicken. Bucky’s laugh rang though the kitchen, his hands gesturing for Steve to come see him. “Come here you big goof,”

Pulling Steve onto his lap, Bucky wasn’t prepared for Steve rubbing the noodle mess all over his face, his laugh mixing in with Bucky’s. The two fought for a bit with the noodle mess until Steve had both of Bucky’s wrist grasped in his, Steve wasn’t prepared for Bucky’s laugh to abruptly stop, his eyes gaining that far way look that could mean only one thing. Turning so he was straddling Bucky’s lap, Steve placed his wrists on either side of Bucky’s head, mindful of his dirty hands, “Come on Buck, tell me what’s going on in there.”

“Stevie, god, I don’t know what I’m supposed to do,” shutting his eyes, Bucky let his head drop forward onto Steve’s chest, breathing in heavily, “I love you Steve, with absolutely everything I have, but at the same time-“ trailing off, Bucky was unsure how to finish.

“You love her, too right?” Pushing his head back, Steve forced Bucky to meet his eyes, “You know Buck, I may have the brawns, but I also have the brains,” Steve’s goofy smile was back, doing his best to comfort Bucky. “I have a feeling that she makes you happy right?” The nod Steve saw was all he needed to continue, “If she makes you happy Buck, you know I’ll support you and be here for you no matter what you choose, even if it isn’t me.”

“You would give up what we have, what you have, for her?” Disbelief was clear in Bucky’s voice and on his face.

“No Bucky, not for her, for you.” Steve’s smile went from goofy, to that one that was so sincere it makes Bucky’s heart melt smile, “it’s like I said Buck, I’m with you till the end of the line, no matter how we get there.” Wrapping his arms tightly around Steve’s waist, Bucky let himself fall apart in Steve’s arms, his brother and his lover, the only other person he would trust fully with his life.

“I just, God Steve, all my life I thought it was going to be me and you, and then I met Maggie, and I thought that if I could get us out of Hydra it would be me and her with a white picket fence, surrounded by children.” Taking a deep breath, Bucky continued, his hands grabbing the back of Steve’s shirt, “And then I found you again, and I saw that future with you. And now, now I see that future with both of you but I know it’s something I’ll never have, something I’ll never deserve.” Letting Steve hold him, Bucky let himself fall apart for the second time in two day’s.

He could feel Steve guiding him to his room, putting him in his bed, and lying beside him, all while humming that stupid song he liked so much about some house in Budapest that Bucky never understood. Steve’s arms wrapped around him, and the sound of the humming turning into Steve’s quiet whispered words, “and baby if you hold me then all of this would go away,” followed by more humming. Steve was listening to Bucky’s breathing becoming slower and slower, his last few words being whispered to no one but himself and the dark room, “But for you, oh, I’d leave it all.”


	7. My Favourtie Things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey all, so lots have happened to me in the last month, so sorry I haven't updated. I ended up getting a few offers from a few American Universities for joint programs with my university here in Canada, so i've been in the states for the last month for tours of different schools, so that was fun. Anyways, i'm going to be posting once every week or so. Sorry for making you wait so long! Enjoy!

Bagheera loved being up high. Something about having a height advantage over others brought her great joy. Maggie, on the other hand, was often unsettled by the extreme heights Bagheera liked so much.

Higher. Maggie Higher. Keep going up. _Bagheera, this is the stupidest thing you’ve ever convinced me to do_. Higher Maggie. See Sam. See Bucky.

Pushing her hair out of her face, Maggie looked for another hand grip. The cool wind was a welcome relief, for all Bagheera’s nattering of getting up higher, they were still severely dehydrated. Shaking on her hip, Maggie swung her entire body to the left and up, Bagheera cheering her on. Three more floors, and they would have climbed the outside of the medical wing to the roof.

 _Three more floors hey Bagheera? Three more floors until the best view of the entire facility._ The remaining three floors were relatively easy to climb, the grips easily coming to her. Puling her body over the edge of the roof, Maggie was surprised to see the patio furniture on the small roof pad. Her surprise quickly changed to happiness when she smelt the sweet scent of chocolate and fruits. Following Bagheera’s nose to her best abilities, Maggie was able to locate three bags of chocolate covered fruits, a bag of pretzels, and a half-eaten chocolate bar called a “Bueno bar.”

Gathering her loot, Maggie dumped it near the nearest arm chair, nose still smelling something sweet and familiar that she couldn’t place.

_Bagheera? What do you think that smell is?_

Bad Maggie. Maggie bad. Plant Maggie. Bad plant. _What do you mean a bad plant Bagheera? Is there really such thing as a bad plant?_

Bad plant Maggie. Remember Forrester Maggie.

Forrester gave Maggie the bad plant. The bad plant makes Maggie comply. Smells bad Maggie. Sweet, then bad Maggie.

Bad plant.

_Wait, the one with the smoke Bagheera? The green plant that turns to smoke right Bagheera?_

Yes. Maggie think. Bad plant. Make Maggie forget. Make Maggie compliant. Bad plant.

Still sniffing the air, Maggie began looking through the small coffee table, pulling apart the contents of the drawer. A small glass container held the plant Bagheera had been smelling, it looked almost purple to Maggie, the green only showing at the very center of the buds. Blinding rage overtook Maggie, anger and fear at what the plant could do, and what it meant that Sam’s friends had it. Pushing aside patio furniture Maggie hobbled her way to the roofs edge, swaying on her still unsteady hip.

The only logical thing Maggie could think of doing was getting rid of the bad plant, but a lager part of her knew breaking something that didn’t belong to her could only lead to punishment. Still gripping the container, Maggie watched from above as Nurse Tully and Doctor Warren came running out of the medical facility, both searching in opposite directions. Soon after came the sound of vehicles approaching the facility.

Crouching, Bagheera’s eyes gave Maggie a close up look at who was exiting the larger SUV, her heart beating fast as she saw Bucky’s metal arm and long hair, and Wanda’s long red locks. With them was a shorter man with short cropped dusty-blonde hair, and another who was taller and thin. Ears straining to pick any sound up, Maggie moved along the roof’s edge, using the low wall to shield her from sight. Out of the smaller car came another woman with red hair, but where Wanda was soft and child looking, Maggie could tell that this woman had been through a lot, her figure screamed danger, every muscle well defined even from five floors up.

“So, we’re back for what, one day? Sam’s already got us doing something stupid for a stray.” Not only was her posture threatening, but her voice was sharp enough to make Maggie uncomfortable.

“Oh hush you,” The man who exited the vehicle with Bucky and Wanda chided, “Remember when I was sent to kill you?”

“Yeah, but I didn’t run from help, I accepted it with open and loving arms,” Sarcasm dripping from each word, Maggie couldn’t help but snort, causing Bucky, with his stupid good hearing, to look up to her hiding spot on the roof.

Ducking low, Maggie could hear her heart beating in her chest, every muscle ready for the door from the stairwell to swing open, and for someone to make her take that stupid plant. Minutes went by, Maggie still clutching the jar of plants, when the stairwell echoed with what Maggie and Bagheera thought were maybe 6 sets of foot prints. Pushing herself into a corner the patio furniture had made against a cooling vent, Maggie did her best to fold in on herself, pulling pillows around her, leaving nothing visible except for her eyes. Slowing everything down, Maggie could barely hear her own breathing as the door swung open, Sam and Bucky walking onto the roof first, Sam wildly searching the area, while Bucky pinpointed the clump she had made of pillows. Following them, the dusty-haired man and the scary red-haired woman, Wanda, a huge man with long blonde hair and some type of hammer, another well built man with blonde hair, and Bruce bringing up the rear. Eyes tracking doing their best to track all six soldiers on the roof, Maggie was surprised at the lack of input she was getting from Bagheera.

“Ah, Soldier of Winter!” Loud was the only way to describe the man with the hammer, “You have found the cat woman!” Watching in terror as the man pushed his way past the other blonde, and past Bucky, Maggie couldn’t help but think of every possible way to defend herself from him. Her options were limited, and as weak as she was, Maggie wasn’t sure how able she’d be to use any of them.

“Come, little one,” Stepping closer to her spot, Maggie watched as his hand reached forward to grab the pillow covering her shoulder, and she could see Bucky reaching for the hammer man himself, with the other blonde trying to pull him back, “The Soldier of Winter says you are his Lady! Pease come and-‘ Cutting the man off by throwing her body at him was not the smartest thing Maggie had ever done. Locking her legs around his arm, putting him into a chokehold, while still holding the container, was also not the smartest thing she could have done. The sheer mass of muscle under her was frightening, but, her fear of being hurt was greater, causing Maggie to pin the man stomach down on the cement, one hand gasping the back of his neck, the other still holding her jar. Surprised at how still and compliant he was at being manhandled, Maggie looked to Bucky for any sort of reasoning. Bucky, the idiot he was, had put himself in a near by chair, that stupid smirk on his face. Winking at Maggie, Bucky shifted his gaze to the hammer man, and let out a laugh,

“Thor, what did we say about approaching Maggie?”

“Ah yes, Soldier of Winter, but only your Lady’s eyes were visible, and I was worried she had maybe gotten stuck under the pillows.” The hammer man, Thor as his name was, spoke with a strange dialect. “I am terribly sorry if I have caused you any distress.” Thor turned as his head as best as he could, trying to make eye contact with Maggie, his eyes, instead, landing on the jar she was holding.

“Maggie,” Bucky began, having also seen the container, “Why are you up here, and what are you doing with that?”

“I, I don’t know. I wanted some fresh air.” Eyes on the ground, Maggie moved away from Thor, her body still crouched, low down, “I thought I could go up, and I got here and the, the..” Big shaky breaths overtook Maggie’s words, her eyes coming up to find Sam’s who was sitting on the couch now, by Bucky who was trying to keep himself from reaching for Maggie, knowing all too well how easy she was to attack when she was scared.

Her Sam, with his kind eyes and his kind smile, helped calm her down by simply being there, and his voice, which Maggie didn’t realize she could miss that much, helped even more, “Hey kid come on, take a deep breath, no one’s upset with you, we just want to know what happened.” Leaning forward to put a hand on Maggie’s knee, Sam took her stiffening posture and widening eyes as two very good indicators to retract himself.

“The bad plant,” Deep breath Maggie you can do this, “the bad plant is here Sam. I don’t need to comply anymore why is it here?” Voice rising on the last few words, Maggie could see the confusion on every-ones faces.

“The bad plant, Maggie what are you talking about?” Confusion was now on everyone’s faces besides Bruce, who somehow managed to look ashamed and knowledgeable at once. Thrusting the container forward, Maggie held it with an unsteady hand for everyone to see, eye’s not looking up from the ground. “The bad plant Sam. It makes me comply,” shaky voice matched Maggie’s shaky hand, head and shoulders tilted away from Sam.

Slowly reaching his hand forward, Sam could tell what was in the jar before he had a hold of it, Bruce’s pot he used when he needed help calming down. “Maggie,” Sam spoke slowly, moving the jar back towards Bucky, “that belongs to Bruce, no one here is going to make you have any. You can trust me, right?” Sam, in his mind, thought that no one had moved for ages, holding their breaths to see what Maggie would say next, when it had really only been seconds. Her shoulders relaxed even with her refusal to make eye contact, Sam could tell she had realized she was still safe.

“I won’t have to comply?” Maggie asked, voice soft. “Not now or ever again,” Harsh as he spoke, Sam wanted to make his point get across, “Maggie you don’t ever have to do anything you don’t want to ever again.”

“Promise?” Still refusing to make eye contact, Maggie kept her body low to the ground, not coming out of her crouch.

“With all my heart Maggie,” hand slowly reaching to place near Maggie’s knee, following Bruce’s suggestion of offering contact without initiating it, “anything you want to do and anything you don’t want to do, you can always make that choice.” Eyes finally coming up to meet Sam’s, Maggie was surprised to see the moisture in his,

“Sam, I want to meet your friends,” Still feeling brave after Sam’s promises, Maggie let herself lean against Sam’s body. A brief flash of anger showing on her face, Maggie’s voice came out stronger than before, “I’m sorry that I keep acting this way, I don’t want to be a burden anymore, I just want to go back to being me.”

“I know Maggie, I know how it feels.” Pulling himself and Maggie to their feet, Sam led her over to stand beside Bucky, moving from her side as soon as Bucky wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her body against his side. Motioning for the rest of the group to come take a seat around the patio furniture, Sam kept Maggie positioned in-between them trying his best to make sure she felt safe.

“Maggie, you already know Bruce and Wanda,” gesturing at the two sitting on the loveseat together, “Beside Wanda is Natasha and Clint. They work together in a team most of the time.” A smile from Clint made Maggie feel welcomed, something about his kind eyes reminding her of her dad, whereas Natasha’s face was nothing but calculating, very little being shown in her eyes. Feeling the rumble in Bucky’s chest from his laughter, Maggie wasn’t sure how to interpret Natasha’s glare.

“Natasha, I thought we talked about not trying to intimidate Maggie?” Still laughing, Bucky ignored Nat’s mumble about having to keep up appearances.

“Thor is the big-ass blonde man you took down, he uh, is an interesting guy, I guess?” Taking a deep breath, Sam wondered how on earth he was going to explain Thor, the Norse God of Thunder to his PTSD-ridden sister, “Thor doesn’t come from around here, he’s from a place called—”

“I am from Asgard, I am Thor Odinson, and I am the one and only God of Thunder!” excitement was clear on his face, Maggie wasn’t sure if he generally looked like an oversized puppy, or if all this exuberant behaviour was just for her.

“What about Indra?” All eyes turned to face Maggie, confusion on everyone’s faces.

Thor’s laugh was loud, which Maggie thought suited him well. “Indra is an old friend! How joyous that you know of Indra!” Maggie had decided at this point in time, that Thor was going to be her best friend, he was always happy, something Maggie needed in her life.

“Okay enough with the God’s and the everything, ya’ll are making my head hurt,” Sam cut in, “Beside Thor is Steve, America’s Golden Boy, Captain America.” Affection was the only thing Maggie saw in Sam’s eye’s, and the quick second she got to see Bucky’s face, she saw it held the same emotion, but stronger.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you ma’am, Bucky’s told me lots about you.” Hand outstretched, Steve had his crowd-winning, politician-swaying smile out. Maggie was surprised to see only sincerity in Steve’s face, his crow feet making his eyes seem brighter. Bagheera, who had been surprisingly quiet for what was going on, was surprised to smell how heavily he smelt of Bucky, almost as if he had been living with him. Not saying anything, Maggie took a deep breath into Bucky’s side, face scrunching with the scent of this Steve.

“Mags?” Bucky asked, confused at why Maggie was completely ignoring Steve in favour of scenting him. “What are you doing?”

“He, why does he smell like you?” Confused at what both men’s scent was telling her, Maggie tried to pull herself from Bucky’s side, Bagheera doing her best to try and make Maggie bare her teeth.

“Mags, this is my Steve, remember me telling you about him?” Confusion was the only thing on Bucky’s face, “We’ve been friends since we were kids, we share an apartment in the compound.”

“Yeah but Buck, he smells like, like he’s…” Trailing off, Maggie turned to take a better look at Steve with his kind eyes, and smooth complexion. His facial features were strong, chin sharp and angled, eyes kind. His body, Maggie noticed, was just as well sculpted as Bucky’s, his pants doing wonders to add to his physical looks. Everything that Bagheera was telling Maggie, the scents, the body language cues all made sense to Maggie at once. Of course, Bucky would have moved on from her, he had thought she was dead. And Maggie, as much as it hurt, wanted nothing more than Bucky to have the happiness and love that he deserved so deeply. Cutting off Bucky before he could ask what Maggie was trying to get at, Maggie gave her best smile to Bucky and turned to face Steve, “What I was trying to say was that you smelt so heavily like Bucky I thought you were brothers. My mistake.” Pushing her hand forward, Maggie did her best to stifle Bagheera’s rage at someone else smelling like their Bucky, like their Soldier.

“Hey, no worries,” Charming smile back out, Steve couldn’t help but give Maggie a once over, and he was not impressed. Besides from the obvious wounds, she was beginning to become unsteady on her feet, her eyes were struggling to focus on an object for a long time, and she, well smelt like garbage. “Bet you’re excited to take a real shower hey? Now that you’re clearly able to walk I’m sure we can get you a shower?”

Letting out a loud laugh, Maggie jokingly lifted an arm and sniffed, making a face, “I guess I do smell pretty bad hey?” Feeling the tension in the air diffuse, the group headed over to the elevator, Maggie’s arm linked through Bucky’s.

“Hey Mags, you never told us how you got up here.” Sam was not going to let that go easily, regardless of Bucky’s laugh, as if it was obvious to everyone.

“I scaled the outside of the building.” Speaking matter of factly, Maggie was surprised that was even a question.

“What wait,” The dusty-haired man, Clint, Maggie recalled, spoke up, “Tony had the building revamped so it couldn’t be scaled cuse I kept hurting myself tryna get to Burce’s stash. Scaling it is impossible I’ve tried it hundreds of times”

Letting a small smile show, Maggie reached over and patted Clint’s arm, “Maybe I’ll show you when I’m feeling better.” Steve and Natasha let out laughs, and Bucky pulled Maggie closer to him, body shaking with his laughter.

 

 

“Maggie, you know we can wait until tomorrow for a shower if you’re tired?” Bucky’s voice was soft, barely audible to anyone else in the common area.

“I’m stinky Buck I need a shower.” Praying, that Bucky wasn’t going to pull the puppy-dog eyes, Maggie spoke as assertively as she could manage with him. Following Bucky to a near by couch, Maggie plopped herself down. Fiddling with her sleeve, she watched as Natasha entered the common area again, followed by a tall and thin blonde woman.

“Maggie, this is Pepper Potts,” Kindness was in Natasha’s voice and eyes, something Maggie didn’t think was possible. “She’s going to point you in the right direction for a shower.”

“Lieutenant Haney, it’s a pleasure. Natasha tells me you might be in need of a shower?” Pepper’s smile as she spoke reached her eyes, something Maggie was thankful to see, “I assume you may need some assistance with showering, and I can assure you we have an excellent on hand care staff, if that’s something your interested in? Also, if you want we can add some fragrances to the shower to try and relax you a little bit, and we have excellent self care products if you need to shave. Again, we do have care staff that can assist you with that, and I’m certain that you’ll have access to—”

“Pepper, maybe slow down a little bit?” Moving to stand slightly in front of Pepper, the blank look on Maggie’s face was enough to worry Bucky. “Mags? Did you hear what Pepper said?” The lack of response caught the attention of Sam as well, who sat down beside Maggie.

“Maggie, can you nod your heard yes or no?” Holding his breath, Sam watched as Maggie very slowly moved her head up and down. “Were you a little overwhelmed with all the questions?” Another slight nod, and Maggie’s eyes came up to meet Sam’s briefly, before flicking over to Pepper’s, offering a weak smile.

Feeing Bucky move to sit on her other side, Maggie slid herself towards him until she was pressed flush against his side, craving the comfort his familiarity brought. The feel of Bucky running his hand through her hair and the calmness of his heartbeat that Bagheera could hear was enough to bring Maggie back to where she was, and the questions she was being asked. So desperately she wanted a shower, wanted Bagheera to know what it felt like to be clean, but she couldn’t risk letting someone who wasn’t part of Sam or Bucky’s family be around her when she was so vulnerable. Each possible scenario of how she was going to shower with assistance ran through her head, and with each solution, Bagheera had some comment to ruin it. Taking her time to think of a way to get around having to rely on Bucky or Sam, Maggie was surprised with how her mind, and Bagheera’s mind kept going back to the blonde woman, Pepper Potts, who smiled at them like they were her family.

“Mags, how do you feel about getting up for that shower now?” Looking up at the interruption to her thoughts, Maggie was surprised to see the brightly lit common area was now dim, the sun having nearly set, and Bucky’s body was stretched more comfortably along the couch, his body reclined against the armrest, Maggie sitting compactly in-between his legs.

Moving her eyes to meet Bucky’s, Maggie could feel her and Bagheera’s confusion at their situation, not five minutes ago it was mid-morning, the common area full with the team, and now it was nearly dusk, with just Maggie and Bucky. Seeing the confusion, Bucky let out a soft laugh, “There we go, I wasn’t sure if you were going to come back to me.” Smile spreading into that shit-eating grin that Maggie had learned to love, she felt some of her worry at her loss of time disappear.

“What happened?” Voice scratchy, as if she had just woken from a nap, Maggie was surprised at how groggy she felt. _Bagheera? What happened? Why did we forget what happened today?_ Maggie think. Bagheera think. Sam said. Green Egg Ham Sam. Sam said Maggie slow. Maggie thinking. Disappearing Sam said. Disappearing? We disappeared Bagheera? _That doesn’t make any sense._ Ask Asset. Asset knows word. Bagheera says Maggie tongue is stupid. The Asset knows.

“You dissociated,” Shifting his body so that she was sitting more comfortably on her own pillow, Bucky continued his explanation, “It’s a way of saying that your mind was somewhere else, while your body was here.” A sad smile appeared on his face, something in his eyes understanding, “It happens when you get overloaded with emotions or, in your case, questions which caused you stress. What was the last thing you remember?”

“Pepper Potts, she wanted to set me up with a shower?” Giving herself an experimental sniff, Maggie crinkled her nose, “Guess that never happened, plus I got my stink all over you too!” Sniffing Bucky, Maggie was surprised how much of her scent was on him, he must’ve stayed with her all day.

“Yeah that’s right, the offer still stands?” Standing up and stretching, Bucky made his way to Maggie’s floor, and the bathroom Pepper had prepped for her. Turning back to check why Maggie hadn’t moved from the couch, Bucky’s heart nearly broke at the sight of her, sitting straight backed on the couch, tears rolling down her face.

“Mags what’s wrong?”

“I can’t let them help me Bucky,” Face turning away from Bucky’s, Maggie could feel her voice begin cracking, “I can’t let them see me like that.” Moving to crouch in front of his Maggie, his light in the darkest part of his life, Bucky couldn’t help but feel for her. He knew all too well what it felt like to have to bare every scar to a stranger, he had to get Steve to bathe him for the first little while.

“Maggie, I can help you if you wanted?” Letting out a low laugh, Maggie couldn’t begin to think of the horror on Bucky’s face if he saw what they had done to her in the last few years they had been separated.

“No, Bucky I think, could I have..” Voice trailing off, Maggie was struggling knowing she could ask a question, and actually asking it.

“What Maggie?”

“Could Pepper? Pepper Pots help me? She reminded me of my mom.” Head turning away from Bucky, Maggie could hear his heartbeat jump for half a beat before calming down.

“Sure, we can ask.” Hand pulling Maggie’s face to his again, Bucky couldn’t stop some of the tears from rolling down his cheek, apparently all it took to break his hard demeanor was Maggie showing up. “Anything you want Mags, I’ll try and make happen.” Being led through the halls of the compound was tiring, and Maggie could tell that her and Bagheera wanted nothing more than a hot bath, and a warm bed. Sitting on the stool on the bathroom Bucky led her too, Maggie began doing what she did best, counting the exits in the bathroom, eyeing out every tool she could use as a weapon. The sound of approaching footsteps alerted her to Bucky coming back, followed by Pepper, the distinct sound of her heels, and the way she walked with more weight on her right foot.

“Hello Lieutenant Haney, James tells me you might be in need of some girl time?” Kind eyes and smiles was all Maggie could see. Her quick nod caused Pepper to smile even bigger, turning to usher Bucky out the door. Bucky stopped himself when he saw Maggie’s hand reach out for her, fear on her face.

“Lieutenant?” Pepper’s voice was softer then before, understanding that there was something upsetting Maggie.

“Will, will you stay outside?” Voice barely a whisper, eye’s directed at Bucky, and shoulders closed off from Pepper, Maggie couldn’t help feel embarrassed at how nervous she was to be left alone with Pepper who seemed to want to do nothing more than help her.

“Of course Mags, no way I could leave my best girl hey?” Stepping outside the door, Bucky gave one last smile, and a nod at Pepper, before making himself comfortable on the cool linoleum.

 

“Alright Lieutenant, I thought you could have a shower first, and then a bath to relax?” Moving to turn the shower on, Pepper almost didn’t hear Maggie’s quiet response,“You can call me Maggie ma’am.”

Turning around, Pepper smile put a little more confidence in Maggie. “Well, then you can call me Pepper.” The short nod was all she needed, turning to take off her heels and outerwear, Pepper was standing in her tank-top and shorts, talking over her shoulder at Maggie about all the shampoos and incense she had to help Maggie relax, when she realized she couldn’t hear Maggie undressing.

“Maggie?”

“Yes?”

“Why don’t you get ready for the shower?”

“You haven’t told me what to do yet Pepper.” Surprise flickered across Peppers face for a few reasons, one at Maggie’s change in personality at Bucky’s absence, she had all but enclosed on her self, shoulders slouched forward, legs tucked under her chair, head hanging low. She had however, exchanged the ma’am for Pepper but was still using it as an authority term. “Okay, why don’t you undress, you can leave your underwear on if it makes you more comfortable.” Turning away to give her some privacy, Pepper almost yelped when she saw Maggie standing beside her suddenly. “Okay, good, job, why don’t you get in the shower, and I can give you a hand?”

“Okay, you hop on in, and you can tell me how you like the water.” Pushing her hair out of her face, Pepper wondered how she was going to help Maggie shave, unsure if she would even be allowed near a blade. Pepper had picked up on the way everyone had been treating her, but so far she hadn’t seen any restrictions. Lost in her own thoughts, Pepper once again almost missed Maggie’s low pitched, “Good,” and if it wasn’t for the sound of content that followed, Pepper may not have heard at all.

Turning to see Maggie standing under the stream, Pepper couldn’t help but smile, seeing the look of peacefulness on the face of someone who had shown nothing but fear and worry since her arrival. “That’s great Maggie,” Putting a hand on the shower curtain to give herself more room to try and help, Pepper stopped short as Maggie flinched away, face scrunched in fear. “Maggie what’s wrong?”

Holding her breath waiting for Maggie to respond, Pepper could almost feel Maggie’s brain trying to explain what she wanted. Reaching a hand out to offer to Maggie if she wanted, Pepper tried to remember all the body language cues Sam had taught her for putting Maggie at ease.

“Too loud,” Maggie’s hand fit into Pepper’s, calloused and bruised, but still in Pepper’s hand. “Everything is too loud for Bagheera.” Still not moving as Maggie directed her hand to the nearest shampoo bottle, Pepper could see some of the tension leave her shoulders. Pouring Shampoo in her hand, Pepper was about to suggest that Maggie faced her if it was easiest, but Maggie already had her back bared to Pepper.

“Oh Maggie,” Hand reaching to touch Maggie’s back, forgetting the shampoo, Pepper thought she might be sick at the sight of the heavily marred skin. The tension was back in her shoulders, something Pepper couldn’t help but feel guilty for, but the slight nod she got from Maggie was all the permission she needed to place a hand on her left shoulder and run it down the largest scar. Following the mutilated tissue, Pepper couldn’t help but shut her eyes, her hand having reached the small of Maggie’s back. Other scars littered her back, varying in size and depth, some looking as if they would have taken years to heal.

“I couldn’t let,” back heaving with the weight she had been carrying with her all these years, “I couldn’t let Bucky see and have him know.” Words heavy, Pepper understood what Maggie meant, the majority of this damage was done after Bucky’s escape. Holding back tears, Pepper re-poured the shampoo, and began working it into Maggie’s scalp. The soft moan she got when her fingernails scraped Maggie’s scalp was clear enough for Pepper to keep doing it, and after five minutes of standing hunched to reach Maggie, Pepper suggested Maggie get into the tub and make it a little easier on both of them.

Sitting on a stool near the head of the tub, Pepper began massaging Maggie’s head again, doing her best to work out the knots in her hair, as well as the tension in her scalp. Humming to fill the bathing room with a little noise, Pepper could hear the small sniffle that came from Maggie. “Maggie? Are you okay?” Not getting a response, Pepper went back to what she was doing, humming the same song.

“My mom used to love that musical.” Maggie’s still soft voice was unexpected a few minutes later, “She used to always sing My Favourite things whenever I was sick to make me feel better.” The feel of Maggie’s shoulders hunching forward and away from Pepper was heartbreaking, she had thought she was doing so good with her.

“I’m sorry Maggie I didn’t realize.” Placing a hand on Maggie’s shoulder, Pepper coaxed her back against the edge of the tub.

“Could, could you sing the words.” Head dipped down, shoulders tense again, Pepper could see the stress asking questions was causing Maggie.

“Sure, of course I can Maggie.” Taking a breath, and applying some body soap to a loofa, Pepper began the opening lines of My Favourite Things.

“Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, bright copper kettles, and warm woollen mittens,”

The rise and fall of Maggie’s shoulders began quickening, but Pepper continued, hoping this was what Maggie wanted.

“Brown paper packages tied up with strings,”

The sobs coming from Maggie were hard to ignore, and the shift she had made in the tub had peppers right arm draped over Maggie’s shoulder.

“These are a few of my favourite things.” Finishing the first verse, Pepper felt her arm being put into a vice-like grip, Maggie having latched on and turned her head into her shoulder. Big heaving sobs were coming out of her now, Maggie gasping for breath, and Pepper crying as well. Wrapping her other arm around Maggie, Pepper began trying to calm her down, whispering softly to her, “Mags, it’s okay, I’ve got you. Tell me what’s wrong.”

“I want my mom,” Face buried in Pepper’s shoulder, the sadness in her voice was breaking Pepper, “Please, I miss my mom and my dad.” Pepper, with all the information she had been given on Maggie, had honestly forgotten that before being a POW Maggie was orphaned at age 10. Not knowing what to say, Pepper just let Maggie cry, rubbing small circles into her back.

“They should have let me die,” Still sobbing, Maggie’s words were becoming more and more slurred, exhaustion and sorrow doing a number on her.

Neither women heard the door open, or Bucky slip in-beside Pepper. As Maggie cried, Pepper stepped back and exited the bathroom, Maggie’s cries ringing in her ears. Hovering by the door she could hear Bucky whispering to her in Russian, and the sound of him slipping in behind her in the tub, but she couldn’t take anymore.

 

 

 

 

“Mags, Mags you’ve gotta breathe with me,” Arms crossed over Maggie’s chest, Bucky could feel her heaving slow down, and her breathing becoming more regular. “Let it all out, I’ve got you.”

“I just want my mom,” Feeling her put her entire weight against his body, Bucky did his best not to break down as well. He could understand why Sam seemed so angry at him for leaving her, the feel of the ridges of her back through his shirt was enough to make him see red.

“I know Mags, I know.” Standing up and pulling Maggie with him, Bucky carried her towards the towel rack hoping she wouldn’t put up a fight with being man-handled.

Whispering to her, he dried her off, and dressed her in the pajamas Pepper had brought. “I’m here Mags, I’m going to be here when ever you need me.”

Picking her up again, surprised at how willing she was, Bucky brought her too her room, which was technically just an infirmary room remodeled to put Maggie more at ease.

Smoothing her hair, he pulled the sheets up towards her chin. Bucky could tell she was still tense, the outburst in the bath having made her more stressed and slightly guiltier. Putting himself in the chair across from the bed, Bucky sat and watched for nearly an hour, until her eyelids began to droop, and her breathing slowed. As he counted her breaths, and listened as the room filled with her soft snores, Bucky felt his eyes begin to shut, the knowledge of having both Maggie and Steve under the same roof bringing him a calm he hadn’t felt in years.


	8. Who Wants to Live Forever

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maggie can't sleep, hums Queen to get rid of night terrors, and looks at some ducks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi all!  
> It's up! It's shitty! But ya girl is finally caught up on school work, so expect weekly updates!  
> Sorry it took like 44 months.

Maggie slept for exactly 67 minutes and 13 seconds. Not nearly enough time for her body to heal, but enough for her to feel restless, worried at being left alone for such a long period of time. Something was wrong, the man in her room was asleep, handlers were too smart to be caught off guard around her. Slinking out of the bed, Maggie made her way towards him, Bahgeera’s eyes illuminating the dark room.

A whirring sound came from the sleeping from, accompanying the scent of cinnamon and evergreens. Bucky. It was her Bucky. Moving closer, Maggie took in his sleeping form, feeling almost guilty for observing him without his knowledge. He seemed younger, his face no longer pressed into a blank mask. His brows were pulled together, eyes moving rapidly under his lids. Purposely putting her foot down slightly harder on the floor, Maggie was shocked when Bucky didn’t stir, when they were with Hydra, he would wake at the slightest sound.

Ignoring Bagheera’s complaints at how poor his training had gotten, Maggie pulled her bedspread off and placed it on Bucky. Standing slightly to his left, Maggie began moving his hair out of his face, feather light fingers working as fast as she could to make him more comfortable. Her Bucky. Her only friend in Hydra. Her only reason for living after what they told her about her Sam. As she made her way to the door, and into the hall, Maggie heard the quiet, “Thanks Stevie” from Bucky, still confused with sleep, and she watched as we rolled over, clutching the blanket tighter, his hair falling back into his face.

The sound of his heartbeat gave her a sense of calm, but the rapid beating from slightly further away was distracting. Following the sound, Maggie found herself standing in hallway, outside a door. Bagheera was working overtime, ears trying to establish what the heartbeat was telling her. Besides the rapid thumping, the stench of sweat and tears was thick from behind the door. Working on instinct, Maggie followed Bagheera’s nose, slipping into the apartment, following the scent of distress.

Pain, was the only thing Maggie saw on the man in front of her. Steve, Bucky’s Steve, was sprawled on his sheets, sweat soaking through his bottoms, sticking to his sheet. His face had changed much in the way Bucky’s had, but instead of sleeping easing his features, it brought more hardships. Moving forward Maggie stood beside his bed, close enough that she couldn’t hear anything besides his heart or see anything besides the rapid movement of his eyes, or his hands clenching his sheets.

Maggie.

Maggie smell.

Maggie.

The Children Maggie.

Help him Maggie.

_Hush Bagheera, he isn’t like the children._

Maggie smell. Maggie smell. Fear Maggie.

_Enough Bagheera, we shouldn’t be in here, Bucky probably wouldn’t like it, and we don’t want to upset any one._

Maggie.

Maggie listen. Listen. _Fine, I’ll listen. What am I listening for again?_

Listen Maggie.

Eyes slipping shut, Maggie stood still, and listened first to herself, the slowing of her heartbeat, and the slight exhale and inhale of her breath. Outside of this, she listened still, to the shifting of Steve’s sheets, the creaking of someone walking three floors below, the raccoon in the trashbins on the far east of the compound. Listen Maggie. Steve, Listen. Focusing on Steve, his breath was fast, heartbeat faster still the thunderous sound of it almost deafening Maggie to the other sounds. Something was wrong. It was beating too fast, too hard, too loud, like it was making up for lost time.

“ARRRGGHHHH” Reeling back Maggie clamped her hands over her ears, not expecting the scream that tore from Steve’s chest. Back against the wall, Maggie tried to gather herself, disorientated from the sudden sound. She saw Steve thrash more rapidly in his bed, the stench of fear and sweat coming off of him heavier, mixed with the smell of ammonia she knew all too well.

Help him Maggie. Help Bucky’s Steve. Help.

Moving to him, Maggie worked on autopilot, climbing into the bed, pulling his bulking frame into her lap. Back against the headboard, Maggie gripped his arms tight, stilling the thrashing.

Maggie. Maggie purr. Please. Help him. Maggie.

_Shhh Bagheera, he is bigger than the children._

Maggie sat, humming, rocking back and forth slowly, moving Steve’s bulk with her. Less fight came from him, his arms coming to grasp hers. “Buck?” Head tilted back, pressing into Maggie’s chest.

Eyebrows pulling together, Steve moved, trying to pull his body away from the person holding him, who was very clearly not Bucky.

Hitting the floor with a thud, Steve was on his feet in a heartbeat. Eyes scanning the room, trying to pinpoint where the person had gone, Steve was certain his mind was playing tricks on him. The body had felt so real, yet he couldn’t hear or see anyone in the room.

“Hello?” Silence.

“Friday?”

“Yes Captain Rogers?”

“Was there someone in my room?” He asked, still unbelieving that he had simply imagined the person.

Maggie. Maggie Steve. Steve and Bucky, Friends. Come out Maggie. _No Bagheera, we weren’t invited in and we just came in and he is going to be mad. We shouldn’t be here. Bagheera I can’t go back into those caves._

“There is currently someone in your room Captain.”

“What?” Swivelling his body, but being unable to find the person, or even hear them for that matter, was upsetting.

“First Lieutenant Haney is currently underneath your bed Captain. I do believe she was attempting to comfort you during your night terror, and when you woke she panicked.”

_Bagheera, no one else is in the room… who’s speaking?_

“Maggie?” Crouching, Steve found himself staring into two terrified brown eyes. “Maggie, why don’t you come out?”

Sliding back, sitting against the dresser, Steve waited. Silence. The same silence that led him to believe no one else was in the room. Surprised at the lack of insight his super soldier hearing was giving him, Steve strained his ears as best as he could, and still… nothing.

“Maybe you could show me how you got to be so quiet?” Silence. Knowing how timid Bucky was in the first few weeks, Steve weighed his options. Standing slowly, he exited the bedroom, leaving the door open.

The kitchen smelt like Bucky, and Bucky smelt like home to Steve. The smell of Bucky, he guessed, was also calming for Maggie. Opening and closing cupboards, rifling through the many tea bags Bucky had collected over the years, Steve found what he was looking for. Turning towards the whistle of the kettle, Steve nearly jumped out of his skin. Maggie stood in the doorway, shoulders hunched, looking much like she day they found her on the rooftop.

“Hi.” Watching as Maggie’s eyes flicked between the kettle and Steve, the increased rise of her chest, and the way her lip lifted off of her teeth, exposing the tops of her gums, Steve couldn’t help but notice how cat-like she acted.

 _Bagheera, he’s making hot chocolate. Have I ever told you about hot chocolate_? No. Maggie. Maggie tell Bagheera. _You know what chocolate is right?_ Yes. Bucharest. _Okay, so we take the chocolate, and we mix it with hot milk or hot water, but it’s the best with milk._ Drink? Nutrients? _Yeah it’s a drink, but its not made for nutrients, its made for taste. My mom used to make it for me after bad dreams, and she always had these little marshmallows to go with it and-...”_

“Maggie?” Softly, as to not frighten Maggie anymore, “Do you want marshmallows with your hot chocolate?” Silence. “I don’t even know if you drink hot chocolate, and if you even like marshmallows. And now I’m just rambling and I know Buck always tells me its because I don’t know how to say thank you to people who help me and I-…”

“Yes” Looking up, Steve was certain he had imagined the whispered response, but Maggie had moved slightly inside the kitchen, a foot from the door. Watching as she moved forward a few more shaky steps, and halted, eyes still trained on the ground.

“Okay, why don’t you sit down.” Turning back to the kettle, Steve strained his ears as best as he could, trying to pinpoint Maggie’s movements. “I’ll have two steaming cups of hot cocoa ready in a jiffy.”

Hot cocoa? What happened to hot chocolate. _It’s another name for hot chocolate Bagheera. It’s the same thing._

The chair was positioned poorly, Maggie would have her back to the window, and could only see one door. Too many things could go wrong, but Steve hadn’t given her permission to move the chair. But Steve had also told her to sit down. But Maggie couldn’t sit in the chair.

_Sit down. Secure the exits. Sit down. Move the chair. Sit down. Secure the exits. An order. Follow the order. Sit down. Secure the exits. Sit down. The order. Secure the Asset. Sit down. Sit do-.._

“Maggie?” The vacant expression on Maggie’s face combined with her stillness, reminded Steve eerily of Bucky in Solider mode. The growl that ripped out of Maggie’s chest was enough to stop Steve walking forward to try and break her spell.

 _Bagheera. Shh. He wants to help. But he didn’t tell us we can move the chair and I don’t know if he will let us move the chair and what if he doesn’t like us asking the question and -…_ Stop. Listen. We can listen. Ask. Sam says to ask. Steve. Moves fast. Slow. Ask.

"The chair.” Eyes still not leaving the floor, Maggie took a step back towards the doorway. “I can’t sit there.”

“It’s not in a good spot hey?” Nodding to himself, while cursing himself out internally, Steve slowly moved towards the chair, hesitating at Maggie’s flinch. “I probably wouldn’t sit there either. Its hard coming home, I get that.”

Hoping Maggie would follow suit, Steve sat down, mug in hand, and simply waited. The nicest thing about his and Bucky’s shared kitchen was the view it had. Steve hated more than anything, not being able to see the sky. The sun was barley peeking over the edge of the compound, the sky still an inky blue.

“It’s nice.” The small voice interrupted his thoughts, eyes turning to the doorway, only to find it empty.

“I’m here.” Surprised again at Maggie’s ability to move without him picking it up, something Buck couldn’t even do, Steve tried his best to hide his emotions.

“Is it okay?” Smiling, the long sip from his own mug confirmed his question, but Steve waited, hoping Maggie would give an answer.

“Good.”

Maggie.Say more. More good. Hot drink good. Mellows good. Bagheera says good. Tell Steve. Maggie tell Steve.

“Bagheera likes it.” Eyes meeting Steve’s for the first time, Maggie took a breath, surprised at the kindness the deep greens seemed to hold, “She likes the marshmallows.”

“That’s good, I’m glad.” Trying to evaluate if Maggie would understand humor, Steve went with an easy joke, trying to keep the mood light, “Maybe that should’ve been my super power, making hot chocolate.”

Silence. Of course. Maggie had her eyes trained on the window, a look of longing, the first real emotion Steve had seen her display since their encounter, on her face. “Maggie, do you want to go outside?” Making decisions were hard for Bucky, and Steve hoped that he hadn’t upset Maggie.

Maggie say yes. Maggie go out. Steve. Bagheera and Steve. Bagheera likes Steve. Say yes. _Calm down Bagheera, of course I’m going to say yes. I think Steve wants us to make a choice._

“Please.” Maggie no. Maggie say yes. Not please. Maggie say yes. Outside. Yes gets outside. _Bagheera, we’ve talked about the word please before. It’s a polite way of saying yes._

“Okay great, you finish that up, I’m going to see if I can find you some shoes.”

 

Three hours later, Steve was happy to say that not only had Maggie willingly followed him outside, granted she stuck so close to his heels he was certain she was going to step on him, but he had also gotten her to smile. Ducks, were apparently the key to Maggie’s happiness, specifically ducklings. The pond near the far east corner of the compound was one of Steve’s favourites. A family of mallards had lived there for the last two years, a new generation coming back each time.

Maggie. Maggie look. Babies Maggie. Birds? Maggie. Steve knows babies. Look. _Ducks Bagheera. They’re called ducks. The babies are called ducklings. They aren’t Steve’s babies, and I doubt he’s named them. They probably just live here._

“I call the one at the back Bucky Jr. He’s always getting into trouble.” Steve’s face was light, crows feet pulling at the corners of his eyes. “One time, I found him near the edge of the forest. I have not a single clue how it made it all the way over there without getting eaten.”

“Sounds like Bucky.” The small laugh Steve got out of Maggie made his heart beat faster. Her face when she laughed looked more relaxed, the taunt skin loosening for just a moment.

 

 

 

 

Bucky woke to an empty room, under a blanket. Maggie’s bed was cold, she hadn’t been there in hours. Stretching, he made his way into his and Steve’s shared apartment.

The faint smell of cocoa lingered in the kitchen, leading Bucky to a sight he was impressed to see. Steve had gotten Maggie to sit down, and drink hot chocolate. She willingly came into the kitchen with Steve. Granted both chairs were moved so that both people could see all exits, the window, and each other. Wandering more, Bucky made his way back to the entrance way, noting that Steve’s shoes, and Nat’s extra sandals were gone. If Bucky knew Steve, and Lord he hoped that he did, he guessed he would’ve taken Maggie to the pond.

Making his way there, Bucky relished in the sounds of the compound. The sun was almost fully risen, birds chirping, and if he strained, he could make out voices up ahead. Standing upwind, Bucky crouched on a nearby ledge, watching as Maggie and Steve interacted. Something as simple as ducks brought joy to Maggie’s face, Steve just as happy. Content to watch the two for the rest of eternity, Bucky silently cursed the gods, or whoever was controlling the weather today, when the wind changed directions, and Maggie gripped Steve’s shirt tightly, head turning rapidly, until her eyes settled on his, the yellow of Bagheera’s eyes locked onto his.


End file.
